Assignment | In 300 words, put forward your argument for the advantages and disadvantages of traditional corks versus the modern style alternatives

In 300 words, put forward your argument for the advantages and disadvantages of traditional corks versus the modern style alternatives – synthetic corks, screw caps and stelvin.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Closures

Bottles and their contents should often be kept airtight to prevent air from penetrating. In whine bottles, for instance, cork can be used to stop the bottles as the structure makes it light, elastic and almost impermeable to most of the liquids and gases. Consequently, the quality of the wine is not compromised. The corks can be traditional in nature or modern such as synthetic corks, screw caps and Stelvin. This task looks at the pros and cons of traditional corks against the modern ones.

There are many advantages associated with using traditional corks over the synthetic ones. Traditional ones can, for instance, allow the wine to breathe, making them the best for bottles meant to age. The traditional corks are designed to allow a small level of oxygen into the bottle, which aids the wine in ageing slowly and at a steady rate. Another advantage of traditional corks is that it doesn’t kill the tree as is the case for the synthetic corks. Lastly, unlike synthetic corks which provide the perception of cheap and less valuable, natural corks paint the picture of being state of the art and hence higher sale value (Karbowiak et al., 5).

There are, however, notable disadvantages of traditional corks. Firstly, they are prone to TCA taint and fail to offer easily predictable oxygen transfer rates and a seal that is tight and immovable. Secondly, synthetic corks can be made from wood which makes them less durable. They can easily degrade and dry out, especially when they dampen after keeping bottles on their side. Additionally, the traditional corks are known to easily crumble, leaving the bits of cork in the wine glass (Lecat et al. 20). Additionally, most of the natural/ traditional corks may not be easily recyclable, making them more costly as compared to the synthetic ones that are made of low-density polyethene and hence can be recycled with ease…