I put this photo to show the tree from which the cork stopper of your bottle of champagne or wine was obtained.
Tree: Cork oak tree, in Portuguese SOBREIRO.
Cork is produced from the bark of this tree.
Cork is a natural product, production 100% sustainable as the trees are not felled and the bark completely renews in 8-year cycles.
The bark of the tree is cut using a completely manual technique, by people who are experts in this task.
In Portugal it is prohibited to shoot / kill / uproot cork oaks.
Portugal is the largest producer and exporter of cork in the world.
In the photo, the bark of this tree has already been removed, and more than 30% is never removed to keep the tree healthy.
@pdulis Hi Peter, yes, cork is no longer just for stoppers. Unfortunately, counterfeit items that are not made of cork are circulating all over the world. It is important verify the authenticity certificate. Thank you for the comment and happy year 2022.
Very cool to know. I like how you included the bark and stripped tree to show the difference. I shall be looking for wines with real corks. Is the cork used for other than champagne?
@joysabin Thanks for the comment.
Cork stoppers are the simplest product because cork is used in hundreds of other applications.
In homes, such as insulation, footwear, umbrellas,... even in NASA spacecraft. Cork is the only organic material present in the capsule of a rocket, as only cork leave the atmosphere and return, preserving its characteristics intact. https://www.amorim.com/en/cork/applications/
And it's just bark from a tree!
Cork stoppers are the simplest product because cork is used in hundreds of other applications.
In homes, such as insulation, footwear, umbrellas,... even in NASA spacecraft. Cork is the only organic material present in the capsule of a rocket, as only cork leave the atmosphere and return, preserving its characteristics intact.
https://www.amorim.com/en/cork/applications/
And it's just bark from a tree!