Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/74666
CL OSURE S (Continued from page 35) ROLL ON TE™ visible protection DIVINUM™ classic screwcap WAK™ traditional look Portocork's ROSA steam distillation process ensures that technical corks are virtually free of taints such as TCA because the particles and smaller pieces of cork are easier to purify. There is more physical variation in the cheaper corks, and that can affect total contact with oxygen transmission. "It's mostly aesthetics," he admits. Like other U.S. suppliers, Portocork samples lots before shipping them to customers. Those that fail go back to Portugal. And if you ever wonder what happens to rejected corks, Mowe says that the best corks go the United States and France. "The Spanish would love to get corks that good, and Germany considers 4 ppt OK. The bad stuff isn't really bad," he says. "The industry has very high standards." New plantings should sustain cork supply A rainy spring provided excellent growing conditions for the 2011 Portuguese and Spanish cork harvests, which yielded 300,000 metric tons, according to Jochen Michalski, president of Cork Supply Group, a leading supplier of natural cork wine stoppers. "The 2012 harvest ran late and long through the end of Au- gust, maintaining 2010's production level," Michalski says. "Al- though raw material prices rose by 13% due to higher demand, Cork Supply increased the amount of material sourced from the forest by about 15%, reflecting the growth trend of recent years." Cork Supply's purchasing strategy and continued partnership with growers aims to maximize forest-management practices and ensure the highest quality yields are produced and available for its customers. According to Frederico Mayer, director of Cork Supply's raw material department, "While continuing to train harvesters and work directly in the field with growers to provide a superior level of technical support, Cork Supply is taking an innovative approach to its purchasing this year, buying earlier in order to ensure the best quality of the cork lots. Purchasing 70% of our supply while the cork was still on the tree, we've used our advanced ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to track quality yields from specific lots over the past 11 years and con- centrated our efforts in the areas shown to have the best results." Since the 1970s, a large number of new forests have been planted in Portugal and now comprise nearly 30% of the area in full production. Cork Supply is focusing on purchasing cork from these young, healthy forests, ensuring the quality of the wood both visually and in sealing performance. Cork forests provide sustainable habitat for wildlife biodi- versity, reduce carbon from the atmosphere, act as a barrier against desertification and sustain the livelihood and culture of indigenous communities. Recognized worldwide by environ- mental and governmental organizations as playing a vital social, economic and environmental role, cork forests are protected by the Portuguese government, and World Wildlife Fund preserva- tion programs support their expansions. For wine producers, creating a brand identity that is unique and unmistakable is essential in formulating a winning marketing policy: packaging is part of this strategy. The Group covers major wine labels, from international brands to the most prestigious local products. Guala Closures Group is able to offer a customized approach to produce closures in an infinite range of colors, sizes, shapes and materials to satisfy the most complex requirements, with the most advanced techniques of silkscreen, hotfoil, offset, lithography and embossing. Guala Closures Group is the worldwide leader in screwcap manufacturing with more than 10 billion closures per year. The group offers the largest range of aluminum closures to the wine industry, delivering "on your doorstep" thanks to its presence in four continents with 26 production facilities, Guala Closures is the indisputable global leader of closures for the wine and spirits industry. In our North American offices located in Napa, California, we have an established and experienced commercial, customer service and technical support team. Your brand deserves the best. Experience a true global leader. 1500 Third Street Napa, CA 94559 Phone 707.603.2845 info@gualaclosuresNA.com WINES & VINES AUGUST 2012 39