Does cork type matter?
Got a dining question you're too embarrassed to ask your server about? Ask Zagat.
This week we received two related wine questions and so once again we turned to Roger Dagorn, Master Sommelier at New York's Chanterelle, to answer them.
Zagat Buzz: What is the difference between a plastic cork and a cork cork?
Roger Dagorn: They are both stoppers. A real cork does breathe though, and so allows for some interaction between the wine and air – in a good way.
Real cork is especially good for those wines that need to be laid down and aged for a bit. But as most wines do not need that, plastic corks will work just as well.
ZB: And should wine breathe after it has been opened?
RD: It depends on the wine. If the wine is tannic or has been closed for a long time, it will need time to oxygenate after opening. But most wines do not need it. For example, most white wines are ready to be consumed as soon as the cork is pulled.
Do you have a dining question you'd like answered? Drop us a line at buzz@zagat.com!
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