Cork Shortage?!

As Cork ReHarvest continues to grow, I’m always amazed by the questions and comments I receive. Not only from the public but from wine industry professionals as well. Often someone will say to me “I buy screwcap wines because I’m saving the cork forests”. They get a blank look back from me before I can gather myself, (I don’t have a very good poker face) to say “well that’s not exactly true”. The fact is, there is enough cork for all the bottles of wine produced, for the next 100 years. The “cork shortage” myth was started by the alternative closure companies. It’s actually a spin on the fact that because there are alternative closures in the market, there is less demand for natural cork. Farmers not harvesting cork does not equate to a shortage. The fact is that if the tree is not harvested when ready (every nine years) it does not mean it can’t be harvested later when demand increases. So I welcome your questions about all things cork!