Nowadays, very few people keep wines in a cellar for years on end in an attempt to achieve perfect maturity and balance. Most people buy wine to drink within the next few days or weeks. A screw or glass top is a good way of preventing “corking”. This is a big advantage for wines that are going to be drunk quickly, but natural cork is essential for wines that are intended to be laid down and aged. This is because corks not only stop the wine getting out, but also allow air into the bottle so that its contents can continue to develop. However, it is important to remember that the quality – and thus the drinking pleasure – of a wine cannot be determined solely by whether it has a cork or screw top.
