Corks

[Ian]

Over the past few months, I've started drinking wine instead of beer. Mainly because wine is cheaper and it I look like less of an alcoholic when I put the glass recycling box out.

I usually go for the cheap stuff - three bottles for a tenner. They usually come with convenient screw tops. No hassle, I can start to throw the grape down my throat immediately.

When I went to open my first bottle this evening, it had a cork. Urgh. This involved faffing around trying to find the corkscrew and involved a slight amount of effort.

As I pulled the cork from the bottle, it made a very satisfying popping sound. The sort of sound you can recreate by placing a finger in the side of your mouth and flicking it out.

It got me thinking. Corks may be inconvenient but there's something "romantic" about pulling a cork from a bottle. There's the whole process of gentle tunneling the corkscrew into the cork, watching the arms of the corkscrew majestically rise before asserting pressure to pull it out.

There's something quite classical about a corked bottle. It feel classier than screw tops.

But yes, they're still inconvenient to open and not easy to replace if you wish to save some wine for later.

So, I'm wondering what you think of corks.

Some corks, yesterday

 

[Jools]

How could you pop champagne properly with no cork, they should stay.

They also signify celebration and liek you said romance in a wierd way.

 

[Hyde]

It's the same reason they still offer coca cola in glass bottles, there is a nostalgic value of drinking coke from a glass bottle as opposed to a plastic bottle or aluminum can.

Corks may not be the most practical (yay re-sealable plastic wine tops!), but they are a nostalgic part of wine history that is still appreciated.

Regardless, it still pisses me off when the cork falls apart into the bottle!

 

[Dave]

They each have an advantage and a disadvantage, the cork seals the wine better.

 

[Harvey]

I quite like corks, as corking a bottle usually leads to great things!

Yay for corks!

 

[Ingested Banjo]

Corks FTW!

Ok, here are my 3 points!

1) Obviously, the thrill of popping a champagne bottle over your next door neighbour's yard - bonus points if you hit/startle their cat!

2) There is much fun to be had in the various ways of opening bottles. wouldn't life be dull if all bottles were unscrewed?

3) This one might sound a little weird, but hey, I'm a little weird myself! After you're done with the wine, if you still want that nice wine aroma, or simply want something to nibble at, what better thing to use than a luvverly chewy cork! As you chew it slowly releases more of the subtle flabours of the wine you've just enjoyed!

So, in conclusion, corks are great!

 

[nealbie]

They're absolutely corking! Option 3 for sure!

 

[ECG]

Never tried chewing a cork & probably never will, but I also never have bought a bottle of wine that didn't have a cork & probably never will.
Always make sure your bottles of wine have a cork & never buy a carton of wine for that matter, ya cheap bastards!

 

[Hixee]

They have their place. I agree that sometimes they can be a pain in the ass, especially those plastic corks. However, I do think they are necessary in champaign and expensive wine.

I'm sure someone who knows more about this than me will say that it adds to the flavour, or something like that.

 

[furie]

I opened a bottle of wine last night with the world's most incredible corkscrew. If there was a Megatron Transformer Corkscrew - this was it. Hell, it turned into a Porche 911 after I'd finished!

It didn't make the harsh, nasty Merlot taste any better though. However, the act of uncorking the wine delayed the nasty drinking experience by a second or so (with Megatron the bar-man).

Tonight I'm on my second bottle of screw top wine. (First one a Rose (yes, I'm gay, etc), the second a Pinot Grigio (VERY gay)). Both taste much nicer than the cork encased bile of Baal from last night. However, that Transformers Corkscrew was sexy as...

 

[Daniel Bill Kent]

Over the past few months, I've started drinking wine instead of beer. Mainly because wine is cheaper and it I look like less of an alcoholic when I put the glass recycling box out.

The first step to coming out of the closet is admitting it.

Well, this is possibly the most random topic I've seen, but yeah I guess corks are kinda pointless but do have there place in this world.

 

[wabbit42]

Corks are not amazing, they are 'Da Bomb!'.

 

[CMonster]

EVERY bottle of wine I buy has a cork.

However, I've never bought a bottle of wine. So... this post is useless.

In my opinion, though, a bottle of wine isn't a bottle of wine without a cork.

 

[tks]

Corks are much better for the dramatic pops that make everyone turn and go ""

 

[vermilionguy]

I'm for the cork. Just in case you find yourself without a corkscrew and are desperate for some wine (given your reasons for wine over beer it sounds like this could be you) here is how to get the cork out using your shoe.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h8LkCC2TXg[/youtube]

 

[Novas]

Cute vid.

I'm all for corks, I've never kept a bottle of anything for more than one evening so the lack of a lid doesn't really affect me.

 

[Ian]

The best way to open a bottle with a cork is to push it in with a blunt instrument (preventing cork shards) in a Travelodge bath tub.

 

[Nicky]

My college thoughtfully provides a corkscrew and a person to do it for every formal we have but not many people have corked wine. Mostly screw top. Corks still do have this feeling that it is very posh, while screw top just seems common.

My Dad has this posh corkscrew but it does exactly the same job just in a more complicated manner

 

[furie]

Without corks, the evil would spread into the world!!!

 

[tks]

Without corks, the evil would spread into the world!!!

*smashes bottle*