🍷 Agglomerated cork

An agglomerated cork is a stopper made of glued cork granules. It is made from the cork oak bark scraps left over when natural corks are cut. The ground bark is mixed with a binder, pressed into a mould and cut.

Such a cork is cheaper than a solid one because it uses production leftovers. It is dense and even, but less elastic. It suits wines that will be drunk within a year or two, and inexpensive wines. For long keeping, a natural cork is better. An agglomerated cork must not give the wine any smell, so producers try to clean the granules.

Agglomerate belongs to the cork family and is related to natural cork, but does not replace it. There is also a technical cork, in which the agglomerate is glued to discs of solid cork at the ends. This solution is used for sparkling wines. For a buyer the main thing is to check the stated keeping time and not try to cellar wine with agglomerate for decades.