Our Cork Guide

Natural cork is derived from the bark of the Quercus suber, commonly known as the cork oak. While these trees thrive in various climates, the majority of the world’s cork forests are found in Portugal, Spain, and North Africa, forming a vital and sustainable ecosystem. Thanks to responsible forestry practices, cork forests continue to expand, with Portugal leading as the largest producer of natural cork closures.
 
The Cork Harvesting Process
 
Cork harvesting is a meticulous, time-honored practice carried out entirely by hand to ensure the tree’s health and longevity. A cork oak can only be harvested once it reaches 25 years of age. This first stripping, known as the "desbóia", yields virgin cork, which is too rough and irregular for wine stoppers but is commonly used for insulation, flooring, and other applications.
 
The tree’s second harvest occurs 9 to 12 years later and is called the "secundeira" harvest. Like the first, this cork is not suitable for closures. Only from the third harvest onward—when the tree is over 40 years old—does it produce "amadia" cork, the premium material used for high-quality wine stoppers. This cycle repeats every nine years, with some trees producing over 100,000 cork stoppers in a single harvest.
 
To track sustainable harvesting, the harvest year is painted on the tree’s bark, ensuring no early stripping occurs. Given that cork oaks can live for over 200 years, they provide an enduring and renewable source of high-quality natural cork.
 
From Bark to Bottle
 
Once harvested, the raw cork must stabilize outdoors for at least six months before undergoing a boiling process to improve elasticity and remove impurities. The cork is then sorted, graded, and selected based on its quality—ready to protect and preserve the finest wines.
By choosing natural cork, you’re not only selecting a time-tested, reliable closure but also supporting one of the most sustainable industries in the world.