By Eartha Steward

Real corks represent a natural and renewable resource and provide jobs for tens of thousands of people in the Mediterranean region.

Is it greener to buy wine with traditional corks or screw-tops? —Matt, Breckenridge

Since we love our vino at the Steward house, we’ve been wondering the same thing, Matt. As you know, screw-tops and synthetic corks are becoming increasingly popular on a variety of wines. Natural cork offers breathability and helps wine age, though it occasionally taints the wine’s flavor and odor, which is one of the reasons screw-tops and plastic…

February 2012 issue

Natural cork remains the overwhelming choice for U.S. wine drinkers because it conveys higher quality than alternative closures, according to results of a recent survey by Tragon Corp., commissioned by the cork industry.

Ninety-four percent of respondents in a survey said they would be more likely to purchase wine with natural cork while 93 percent said natural cork conveys high or very high quality.

The study also showed that the type of closure used on a wine bottle is important in terms of consumer purchase preference. In fact, the type closure used on…

By Ed Valdez

Three companies are highlighting their sustainability initiatives at the 2012 Grammy Awards. With over 26 million watchers expected, the Grammys will have one headline commercial that will garner the most attention: Chipotle’s “Back to the Start” ad with Willie Nelson singing Coldplay’s “The Scientist.”

The animated ad promotes a sustainable family-farming model in contrast to large commercial food production processes. Chipotle is the only fast food chain that promotes the use of food with integrity: a commitment to use the very best ingredients (organic and locally grown whenever possible) raised with respect to the…

By Vince Bond

The Grammy Awards is hosting two events featuring wines sealed with recyclable corks.

Natural cork, according to the Cork Quality Council, is biodegradable and saves cork forests that stave off carbon pollution.

The wines will be served at the MusiCares Person of The Year tribute dinner and concert honoring Paul McCartney on Feb. 10 and the official Grammy Celebration after the awards show on Feb. 12, according to the council.

ReCork, a wine cork recycling program, will provide recycling bins at both events.

“We are honored that The Recording Academy has made natural cork a…

Move is Part of The Recording Academy®‘s Sustainability Program

On Site Corks Bins will Promote Recycling

—For the second consecutive year, natural cork will be in the spotlight at the GRAMMY Awards.® Maintaining its commitment to sustainability, the 54th GRAMMY Awards will host two events featuring wines sealed exclusively with natural cork and will recycle the closures. Natural cork is biodegradable, recyclable and sustainable, and its use encourages the stewardship of cork oak forests that offset carbon pollution.

The awards show will take place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will air on CBS at 8/7 p.m.…

Nothing is more disappointing than peeling the foil off of a bottle of wine and seeing….a synthetic cork (dun dun DUNNNN). Or worse, a plastic cap/twist off.

Natural cork stoppers are made from the bark of the cork oak tree, or Quercus suber, which can be safely harvested from the trunk every 9 years. Stripping the bark actually benefits the tree, and, most times, is done by hand by workers whose families have cultivated the cork trees for centuries. There are a number of animals whose habitats rely on them. You can read more about that here, or…