Cork Stoppers for Wine Bottles

You might be surprised to learn that there are nearly 500 vineyards in the UK, producing around 15 million bottles of wine each year. The wine industry here is growing at a healthy rate, producing amazing whites and sumptuous reds that can be found on supermarket shelves.

Of course, the traditional way to seal a bottle of wine is to use a cork stopper. It’s usually a sign that you have bought a quality bottle of wine and is an eco-friendly option that has been used for many centuries. Cork stoppers are 100% natural and harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree.

While some winemakers have switched to rubber stoppers or even screw tops in recent years, there are still many traditionalists out there that prefer to use cork.

Why Use Cork Stoppers?

Cork began being used for bottles of wine and other liquid products as far back as the 17^th century. Before that glass stoppers were used which was an expensive way to seal wine.

Cork has the benefit of fully sealing a bottle. It also allows the minimal amount of oxygen to get into the bottle. The reason this is important is that air will eventually oxidise the wine but a small amount is needed to remove sulphites that are present during the winemaking process. That’s why quality winemakers tend to prefer cork over other methods of sealing a wine bottle.

Cork is also pretty eco-friendly as a bottling solution. The material is harvested from the soft spongey bark of the tree but this grows back after about nine years. Most of the quality cork we use today comes from Spain and Portugal and is carefully managed to make sure that there is little damage to the environment.

Once harvested, the cork is boiled and cleaned to sterilise it which means that the material can be cut into any shape. Portugal has some 737,000 hectares of cork forest and produces 100,000 tons a year, of which about a quarter is used to make wine corks.

Why Buy Cork Stoppers from Ley Rubber?

While the key area that Ley Rubber works in is the manufacture and supply of rubber extrusions, we also provide cork products for both the wine industry and other sectors such as food and drink and research and development.

We are a family-owned business that was established in the 1950s and we have an excellent reputation for providing high-quality materials and products.

Our cork products are sourced from the best suppliers in the world and we take pride in being able to deliver exceptional value for our customers.

Based in the North West of England, we are a British company with excellent manufacturing capability. We can produce a range of rubber extrusions in addition to corks for the wine industry.

Contact Ley Rubber Today

If you are a wine producer and you are searching for a reliable, quality supplier of cork stoppers, the team at Ley Rubber are here to help. Contact us today to find out more.