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We are very happy to announce the newest collection partner in the Cork ReHarvest program, Napa Valley Vintners Association. They are located at 1475 Library Lane, St. Helena, CA. Bring in your natural wine corks and let them know you support our efforts.

“The plastic  corks tested were Nomacorcs, sourced from a winemaker supply house (Winemakers Depot). We tested both the outer skin (which is principally a TPV material, similar to Sarlink) and the inner foam (which is principally a metallocene polyethylene, similar to Affinity). Each material was extracted for 72 hours at 37°C in ethanol and in water, then the extracts analyzed for estrogenic activity (EA) in accordance with the procedures outlined in our paper in “Environmental Health Perspectives” (Env Health Perspec 119:7, pp 989-996, July 2011). The cork components were extracted in “as supplied” condition and not stressed or chemically altered.

Our assay procedure utilizes proliferation of human breast cancer cells as an indicator of estrogenic activity. All experiments utilized negative and positive controls, as well as confirming estrogenic response by inhibition with antiestrogen ICI.

EA test results are expressed as %RME2, with 100% RME2 being the in vitro response amplitude to 17 beta estradiol, the natural human estrogen. Results over 15% are considered significant. The Nomacorc test results were 65%RME2 for the core and 42%RME2 for the skin. These numbers are quite high. We have repeated the tests and are confident that the results are correct.

When given the choice between a closure that has a potential health risk, a product that is not sustainably sourced, biodegradable, uses more energy to make and releases more green house gasses than natural cork, why would a winery or wine consumer choose plastic?

I’m happy to say that, yes; it was well worth the resources we extended to be part of an event that I can only describe as, truly unique. Never did I imagine spending three days with this many people so passionate about wine, who don’t get paid for what they do. I met people from all over North America, with every conceivable background and level of wine knowledge. At times it looked more like a geeky computer  convention with people hunched over multiple laptops, typing feverously. With many opportunities for one on one’s with the bloggers, to talk about the environmental aspects of closures, I got the same kind of reply’s that I get from just about every group I speak to, “Gee, I didn’t know that” and “but I thought….”.

As I’d imagined, most of the information regarding the wine closures was relegated to the old “screw cap vs. cork discussion. Which as always, revolves around TCA/wine quality issues. The striking difference between this group and other wine industry events, that I have addressed, was the willingness to listen with an open mind. There was none of the “cork is dead” attitude that can often permeate wine centric events.

In the end, I have to say, attending this event was a home run for the CFCA and the survival of the cork forests. I had a large number of people tell me that their understanding of the cork industry, forestry and closures in general, had been changed and that they would be letting their readers know, about the misconceptions that exist in the cork/wine world.

I also got to meet team members of the Charlottesville Whole Foods Market, who have done a great job with Cork ReHarvest. I spent part of my day on Saturday with Duane Cassis, President of Carpet Plus in Charlottesville, who has been running a cork-recycling program for the last two years. Duane has over 60 participants collecting natural cork and we are exploring ways to work with Duane and his team to expand the program throughout VA.

I want to say thank you to the event planners for giving us this opportunity and to all the bloggers for their open and welcoming attitudes to the cork dork.

Highlights of my trip:
Making some friendships that will certainly last.
Being told by a young wine maker from Argentina that I had influenced his decision on the closure for his wines, natural cork.
The numbers of people who told me how important the work we are doing is and that armed with the facts, many bloggers will spread the word to their readers.
Meeting and spending time with Brian Kraemer from our corporate partner Kendall-Jackson
Visiting Charlottesville, VA for the first time.
Tasting some wonderful VA wines
Having my flight cancelled and being re-routed, first class!

I’m looking forward to next years Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland Oregon!

To celebrate Earth Day, we partnered with Anthropologie in all 153 of their stores, in a cork art window display promotion.