tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/cork-14166/articlesCork – The Conversation2017-11-30T19:04:25Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/838052017-11-30T19:04:25Z2017-11-30T19:04:25ZInner-city neighbourhood shows the way in protecting heritage of centuries past<p><em>This article is part of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/building-on-heritage-46804">Building on Heritage</a> series on preserving heritage buildings and places while making them as sustainable as possible.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Conservation of built heritage protects buildings and spaces, but can also lead to confusion, contention or resentment. Property owners and planners clash when conservation strategies are perceived to unreasonably impede development. Effective community participation in conservation decisions can reduce these conflicts, as our research found in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandon,_Cork">Shandon</a>, an inner-city district of Cork, Ireland.</p>
<p>Shandon dates back to the 1600s. It is a high-density urban area, with an intriguing mix of architectural styles and <a href="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?county=CC&name=john+redmond+street&town=&townland=&type=quick&page=2">rich built heritage</a>. </p>
<p>Conserving urban ensembles like Shandon is an increasing urban planning priority. “Ensemble conservation” protects clusters of buildings, streetscapes, or entire districts. </p>
<p>By preserving cultural capital for future generations, conserving these areas can promote inter-generational equity. The inclusion of urban ensembles as the largest category in the <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/">UNESCO World Heritage List</a> is evidence of their importance. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275116302633">Our research</a> in Shandon shows how competing values shape conservation decisions. We found high levels of community support for the conservation of ensembles, but the issue is also highly political.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188145/original/file-20170929-21094-4gict0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Shandon streetscapes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tony Matthews</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Planning for ensemble conservation</h2>
<p>Planners play an important role in identifying, regulating and conserving built heritage. The first step is to work with local communities to identify ensembles worthy of conservation. These decisions are based on aesthetic, economic and historic factors, making them contested and value-laden. </p>
<p>Determining what and whose heritage is worth preserving is particularly contentious. Community involvement is essential in shaping decisions and minimising conflicts. </p>
<p>In Irish planning, a conservation ensemble is known as an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA). ACA status provides statutory protection to existing building stock and urban features, and applies strict design and materials standards to new developments. Protections prohibit works with negative impacts on the character of buildings, monuments, urban design features, open spaces and views.</p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="1268" data-image="" data-title="The Urban Squeeze S1Ep12 - Urban Heritage Protection" data-size="10141824" data-source="Tony Matthews" data-source-url="https://soundcloud.com/user-764909442/sets/dr-tony-matthews-the-urban" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/908/ep-12-heritage-protection-urban-squeeze-w-opener.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
The Urban Squeeze S1Ep12 - Urban Heritage Protection.
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" rel="nofollow" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-764909442/sets/dr-tony-matthews-the-urban">Tony Matthews</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>9.67 MB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/908/ep-12-heritage-protection-urban-squeeze-w-opener.mp3">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<h2>Shandon becomes an ACA</h2>
<p>Local residents, traders and artists were influential in the process to gain ACA status for Shandon. The process began informally with early consultations between the community-based <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shandonarea/">Shandon Area Renewal Association (SARA)</a> and Cork City Council. This led to Shandon being designated an ACA under the Cork City Development Plan 2009-2015. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.corkcitydevelopmentplan.ie/">Cork City Development Plan 2015-2021</a> maintains broad conservation protections for the Shandon ACA. It also specifically protects 24 keynote buildings and seven protected monuments and places. These include graveyards, churches and views towards St Anne’s Church.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188146/original/file-20170929-19819-q5rldg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keynote buildings in Shandon (clockwise from left): St Anne’s Church, The Firkin Crane, The Butter Exchange.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tony Matthews</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The politics of becoming an ACA</h2>
<p>A significant concern for the Shandon community was that ACA status could harm private property rights and reduce property values. Sensitive mediation was needed to reassure residents that tighter development standards in ACAs <a href="http://www.corkcity.ie/media/Architectural_conservation_area.pdf">often increase property values</a> in these areas.</p>
<p>Others were concerned that ACA status could turn Shandon into a living museum, or that a focus on tourism would affect the local sense of place. Quite the opposite occurred. Shandon has since become the backdrop for large cultural events championed by the local community. These contribute significantly to the local economy and are a source of pride and connection to the local area. </p>
<p>These events are designed to take advantage of Shandon’s built heritage. For example, heritage buildings were used to great effect as the canvas for a series of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-murals-helped-turn-a-declining-community-around-74979">reverse graffiti murals</a> depicting past and present citizens of Shandon. It’s also the backdrop for the annual <a href="http://www.dragonofshandon.com/">Dragon of Shandon</a> Samhain Parade led by <a href="http://ccal-v2.weebly.com/">Cork Community Art Link</a>, a local community arts organisation. </p>
<h2>Reflections on the Shandon experience</h2>
<p>The objectives of ensemble-scale heritage conservation can be highly political – sense of place, ownership of space and local politics come together in this process. Achieving ACA status does not necessarily result in the same outcomes for all communities. </p>
<p>Despite being subject to the same statutory protections as Shandon, the neighbouring ACA of Blackpool has been identified as “<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/local-historian-says-protecting-corks-historical-heritage-is-a-must-239967.html">a real cause for concern</a>” due to its many poorly maintained and derelict buildings.</p>
<p>Shandon’s experience as an ACA is more successful. An important difference between the two ACAs has been the active involvement of community members, local businesses and residents in the stewardship of heritage assets. This difference in outcomes underscores the importance of local participation in realising the objectives of heritage protection.</p>
<p>Ensuring Shandon benefits fully from its ACA status requires ongoing communication between planners, residents and other stakeholders. Shandon’s experience suggests this is a worthy but at times difficult pursuit.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83805/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tony Matthews receives external funding from the Australian Research Council, as well as internal funding from Griffith University. He is affiliated with the Shandon Area Renewal Association, Royal Town Planning Institute and the Planning Institute of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deanna Grant-Smith receives funding from National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. </span></em></p>A suburb in the Irish city of Cork sets the standard for involving the community in heritage building conservation. Public engagement is the key to managing the inevitable conflicts.Tony Matthews, Lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning, Griffith UniversityDeanna Grant-Smith, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/858182017-10-30T19:03:27Z2017-10-30T19:03:27ZA dragon-led recovery: how a community is reaping the benefits of a spooky Halloween festival<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191955/original/file-20171026-28033-6f7nt1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Including community members as participants and co-creators of the Dragon of Shandon is central to the festival's success.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.dragonofshandon.com/media-pack.html">OpenLens.ie/Dragon of Shandon</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In just over a decade, the <a href="http://www.dragonofshandon.com/">Dragon of Shandon</a> has become one of Ireland’s largest and best-known Halloween festivals. </p>
<p>The annual event, led by <a href="http://ccal-v2.weebly.com/">Cork Community Artlink</a> (CCAL), is a creative partnership between artists and local communities. Staged in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandon,_Cork">Shandon</a> in the city of Cork, the festival takes advantage of the atmospheric backdrop provided by the inner-city neighbourhood’s <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275116302633">heritage buildings and streets</a>. </p>
<p>The event centrepiece is a ten-metre-long dragon, which stalks Shandon’s streets accompanied by a cast of ghosts and ghouls drawn from surrounding communities and celebrating local myths, legends and history. </p>
<p>Festivals like the Dragon of Shandon are becoming more prominent features of cultural landscapes around the world. Ranging from small street fairs to extravagant spectacles in city centres, urban festivals can generate positive returns for entire cities and local urban areas. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W9Ts6WPZ5WY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Highlights of the 2016 Dragon of Shandon.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The benefits of urban festivals</h2>
<p>Museums, stadiums and other “<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cities-should-stop-building-museums-and-focus-on-festivals-57333">concrete culture</a>” have traditionally enjoyed priority in urban cultural development. </p>
<p>However, this infrastructure is expensive to build and maintain, and is often underused. In response, cities are increasingly favouring festivals as a less expensive and more organic way to engage and entertain urban communities.</p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cities-should-stop-building-museums-and-focus-on-festivals-57333">Why cities should stop building museums and focus on festivals</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>The scale and focus of <a href="https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/">film</a> and <a href="https://www.guinnessjazzfestival.com/">music</a> festivals can vary from being locally focused to being internationally significant.</p>
<p>Mixed media festivals, like the <a href="https://www.edfringe.com/">Edinburgh Fringe</a>, often cater to an international audience. Likewise, festivals of <a href="http://foodandwineexpo.com.au/">food and drink</a>, <a href="http://www.ozcomiccon.com/">pop culture</a> and <a href="http://www.corkchoral.ie/">high culture</a> are continuing to grow in popularity as they capture distinctive local and national audiences. </p>
<p>What connects these types of festivals is that they are often exclusive in nature. Festival-goers generally pay to attend the whole festival or individual events. </p>
<p>By contrast, urban festivals based on occasions like Halloween are typically more open, inclusive and accessible to a wider community. Including community members as spectators, parade participants and event co-creators is central to the success of the Dragon of Shandon.</p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="1212" data-image="" data-title="The Urban Squeeze - Urban Festivals Episiode" data-size="9693120" data-source="Tony Matthews" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/931/s2-ep9-festivals-urban-squeeze-tony-with-kim.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
The Urban Squeeze - Urban Festivals Episiode.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tony Matthews</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>9.24 MB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/931/s2-ep9-festivals-urban-squeeze-tony-with-kim.mp3">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<h2>A celebration of community</h2>
<p>Urban festivals like the Dragon of Shandon can activate underused or dead places, by inviting local communities to reimagine how they can use these spaces. In drawing on existing public and cultural assets, these festivals can also invigorate local pride and sense of place and belonging.</p>
<p>CCAL artistic director <a href="http://ccal-v2.weebly.com/staff.html">William Frode de la Foret</a> <a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/dragons-and-demons-light-up-shandon-172046.html">says</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A carnival should should not be about commercial or even artistic interests; at its heart it should be about the people and the community they live in and it should be fun.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The focus on democratising art production and including local communities is a priority for CCAL. The same ethos of community involvement underpinned the <a href="http://www.whatif.ie/bwu/">Big Wash Up</a> outdoor murals project, also in Shandon. </p>
<hr>
<p><em><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-murals-helped-turn-a-declining-community-around-74979">How murals helped turn a declining community around</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>The Dragon of Shandon was designed to be an inclusive and family-friendly event to celebrate the Irish tradition of <a href="http://www.newgrange.com/samhain.htm"><em>Samhain</em></a> (Halloween). Halloween in Ireland was traditionally a community event centred on activities like bonfires, games like apple-bobbing, eating <a href="http://www.foodireland.com/recipes/barmbrack-bairin-breac/"><em>bairín breac</em></a> (Halloween cake), and trick or treating. The Dragon of Shandon has reinvigorated this communal focus in Cork.</p>
<p>The elaborate spectacle relies on extensive community involvement in planning, logistics, event management, crowd control and parade participation.</p>
<p>Volunteers work with CCAL for months to build detailed floats and puppets. Other volunteers spend countless hours learning intricate choreography or perfecting atmospheric musical performances to heighten the affective impact of the parade. </p>
<p>Children and young people take part in designing and creating new props, masks and costumes each year. Many of them also join the parade cast, leading the dragon through the streets of Shandon. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QqU6ydQTXfk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Local children take part in Dragon of Shandon workshops.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Feeding the dragon</h2>
<p>The Dragon of Shandon has grown in scope, ambition and popularity since it began in 2006. <a href="http://www.dragonofshandon.com/2016.html">Last year’s event</a> was the largest to date with more than 500 participants and 15,000 spectators. Led by CCAL, the work and dedication of local volunteers have achieved this on a meagre budget.</p>
<p>Some might wonder if it’s worth investing so much time and effort in a local event that lasts one night. </p>
<p>While the spectacle might provide only a night’s entertainment, the months of planning and creativity that make the festival a reality create a sense of community that arguably lasts much longer. The benefits extend to the city of Cork, which can showcase its local heritage and civic pride. </p>
<p>To date the Dragon of Shandon has relied on community support and donations from a small number of corporate sponsors. An interesting question is whether increased external funding would benefit the Dragon of Shandon. Or would this potentially dilute its culture of community involvement and <a href="https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/faculties-and-research/research/cass-knowledge/2014/april/how-financial-constraints-can-drive-creativity">creativity on a limited budget</a>?</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0mxcRmiDzZo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Dragon of Shandon Parade fundraising video.</span></figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85818/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tony Matthews receives external funding from the Australian Research Council, as well as internal funding from Griffith University. He is affiliated with the Shandon Area Renewal Association, Royal Town Planning Institute and the Planning Institute of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deanna Grant-Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Urban festivals built on community involvement can reinvigorate places and create a shared sense of place and purpose that lasts long after the event is over.Tony Matthews, Lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning, Griffith UniversityDeanna Grant-Smith, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/749482017-03-22T11:38:04Z2017-03-22T11:38:04ZAnthill 11: waste not, want not<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/161874/original/image-20170321-5395-ptmd0c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">via shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In this episode of <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/the-anthill-27460">The Anthill</a>, a podcast from The Conversation, we’re bringing you stories about how one person’s waste can be another person’s treasure. </p>
<p>We start by getting the dirty stuff out of the way, delving deep into the evolutionary reasons why most of us retch if a browney-orangey liquid starts oozing out from the bin bag. It’s called the “yuck factor” and we all have it, as Philip Powell, a behavioural economist at the University of Sheffield, explains. The trick is how to reprogramme ourselves not to be disgusted. </p>
<p>We’re also bringing you two stories from scientists exploring new ways to eke something useful out of big piles of waste. </p>
<p>Holly Squire heads to a biology laboratory at the University of York to meet Liz Rylott. She’s working on a way to extract metals and minerals leftover in mining industry waste – using the power of plants.</p>
<p>And then Michael Parker speaks to Kevin Morgan, a chemist at Queen’s University Belfast, who is part of <a href="http://www.renew-network.eu/">a group</a> trying to squeeze as much as possible out of bits of used cork. A surprising number of different things come out – including vanilla – if you use the right chemical process. </p>
<p>Towards the end of the show we take a look at what it’s going to take to get a circular economy in perpetual motion. Ana Mestre, a research fellow in design at Nottingham Trent University, explains why a big shift is needed in the way the stuff we buy is designed so that it can either last a lot longer, or be biodegradable – even our mobile phones. </p>
<p>But Geoff Beattie, professor of psychology at Edge Hill University, has done experiments that show that when it comes to making sustainable choices when we go shopping, we’re all just a little bit lazy. So if we want the world to reduce, reuse and recycle more, we all have to work at it. </p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Click here to listen to <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/podcasts/the-anthill">more episodes of The Anthill</a>, on themes including <a href="https://theconversation.com/anthill-10-the-future-73404">The Future</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/anthill-7-on-belief-69448">Beliefs</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/anthill-9-when-scientists-experiment-on-themselves-71852">Self-experimentation</a>.</strong></p>
<p><em>The Anthill theme music is by Alex Grey for Melody Loops. Music in the “yuck factor” segment is <a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Electronic_1224/The_Dirty">The Dirty</a> by Podington Bear, music in the cork segment is <a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/David_Szesztay/Electric_Guitar/Easy_Easy">Easy Easy</a> by David Szesztay, music in the circular economy segment is <a href="http://www.honolulu.gov/envref/ref_media/878-site-env-ref-cat/21301-recycling-songs.html">Reduce, Reuse, Recycle</a> by the Lava Jam Band and <a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Spinning_Clocks/Spirits_in_the_Juice/Circle_Round">Circle Round</a> by Spinning Clocks.</em> </p>
<p><em>A big thanks to City University London’s Department of Journalism for letting us use their studios.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/74948/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
This episode explores how one person's waste can be another's treasure. We talk to scientists trying to eke something useful out of big piles of rubbish and discuss making the economy more circular.Michael Parker, Director of Operations, The Conversation UKWill de Freitas, Environment + Energy Editor, UK editionAnnabel Bligh, Business & Economy Editor and Podcast Producer, The Conversation UKGemma Ware, Head of AudioHolly Squire, Special Projects Editor, The Conversation UKLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/351352014-12-30T13:00:03Z2014-12-30T13:00:03ZCorks seal a wine’s fate: aging under natural vs synthetic closures<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67872/original/image-20141221-31560-ogavyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Put a cork in it? Or maybe you prefer a screwcap?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/clubvino/3490073657/">clubvino</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most foods are best as fresh as possible. I remember picking peaches at my grandfather’s ranch in Northern California and eating them on the spot. What a taste! But the exceptions to this rule are the many wines that actually need some aging to taste their best. Winemakers know this, and work to control the aging process including decisions they make about how to bottle up their product.</p>
<h2>Aging and oxygen</h2>
<p>One aspect of aging has to do with the reaction of fruit acids with the alcohol. This process reduces sourness in the wine, but it’s really only important for very tart wines, the ones coming from cold climates.</p>
<p>The complex oxidation process is the second aspect of aging. When oxygen interacts with a wine, it produces many changes – ultimately yielding an oxidized wine that has a nutty aroma. This is a desired taste for sherry styles, but quickly compromises the aromas in fresh white wines.</p>
<p>However the oxidation process provides benefits along the way to that unwanted endpoint. Many wines develop undesirable aromas under anaerobic – no oxygen – conditions; a small amount of oxygen will eliminate those trace thiol compounds responsible for the aroma of rotten eggs or burnt rubbber. Oxidation products also react with the red anthocyanin molecules from the grapes to create stable pigments in red wine. </p>
<p>The way a bottle is sealed will directly affect how much oxygen passes into the wine each year. That will directly affect the aging trajectory and determine when that wine will be at its “best.”</p>
<h2>Stick a cork in it?</h2>
<p>Glass is a hermetic material, meaning zero oxygen can pass through it. But all wine bottle closures admit at least a smidgen of oxygen. The actual amount is the key to a closure’s performance. A typical cork will let in about <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf903846h">one milligram of oxygen per year</a>. This sounds like a tiny bit, but after two or three years, the cumulative amount can be enough to break down the sulfites that winemakers add to protect the wine from oxidation.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67874/original/image-20141221-31545-1iap4bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bark from these trees is stripped periodically to make corks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/alcalaina/4189599715">Alcalaina</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are three major closure options available: natural cork and technical cork, its low budget brother made of cork particles, the screw cap and synthetic corks. Natural cork closures appeared about 250 years ago, displacing the oiled rags and wooden plugs that had previously been used to seal bottles. It created the possibility of aging wine. Until 20 years ago natural corks were pretty much the only option for quality wine. It’s produced from the bark of the tree, and harvested every seven years throughout the life of a cork oak tree, <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_suber">Quercus suber</a></em>. The cork cylinder is cut from the outside to the inside of the bark. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bqF3SGFigdY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The cork is harvested manually from the bark of the cork oak tree.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A small fraction of corks, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0238.2005.tb00290.x">1-2% today</a>, end up tainting the wine with a moldy smelling substance, trichloroanisole. This TCA is created via a series of chemical reactions in the bottle: chlorine from the environment reacts with the natural lignin molecules in the woody cork to make trichlorophenol, which is in turn methylated by mold. TCA has one of the most potent aromas in the world – some people can smell as little as <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0238.2005.tb00290.x">2 parts per trillion in wine</a>. So, in every eight cases of wine, one or two bottles will smell like wet cardboard or simply not taste their best. This is why restaurants let you taste the wine before pouring – to let you judge if the wine is tainted. A 1% failure rate seems high in today’s world. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67877/original/image-20141221-31554-1vp3lbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Looks like a cork, but these don’t grow on trees.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dolmansaxlil/4566063277">Sharon Drummond</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Plastic fantastic?</h2>
<p>Synthetic corks are made from polyethylene, the same stuff as milk bottles and plastic pipes. After years of research and development, these corks now perform nearly the same as the natural version with three exceptions: they have no taint, they let in a bit more oxygen and they are very consistent in oxygen transmission.</p>
<p>Their consistency is a major selling point to winemakers because the wine will have a predictable taste at various points in time. In fact, winemakers can tweak the oxidation rate of their wine by choosing from a range of synthetic corks with <a href="http://nomacorc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/7270.NOMACORC-SellSheets-Select-Combo-2012-EN-PRINT.pdf">different rates</a> of known oxygen transmission.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=833&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=833&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=833&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1046&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1046&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67876/original/image-20141221-31560-1uvk89w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1046&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Easy off, but tricky to put on.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/emdot/416860104">emdot</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Screwcaps are actually two parts: the metal cap and the liner inside the top of the cap that seals to the lip of the bottle. The liner is the critical part that controls the amount of oxygen getting into the wine. Back when screwcaps were only used on jug wine, there were just two types of liners available. But today multiple companies are jumping in to offer their take on what rate of oxygen transmission is best, as well as to replace the tin used in one of the traditional liners. The standard liners admit either a bit more or a bit less oxygen than good natural corks. Screwcaps, being manufactured, are also very consistent.</p>
<h2>Is there an optimum wine closure?</h2>
<p>Performance of the manufactured closures, made with 21st century technology, is excellent. Generally they approximate our expectations, based on over two centuries of experience aging with natural cork closures. </p>
<p>For the regular wine you might purchase for dinner this weekend or to keep for a year or two, any of these closures are perfectly good, while the manufactured closures avoid taint. In fact, your choice is more a matter of preference for opening the bottle. Do you want the convenience of twisting off the cap, or do you want the ceremony of removing the cork?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/67913/original/image-20141222-31545-1tr222r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Final goal achieved – a perfectly-aged glass of wine, ready to imbibe.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/djwtwo/8025375298">Dennis Wilkinson</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For long aging however, the only closure with an adequately long track record is natural cork. So to be safe, that is the closure to choose. Once we have solid long-term evaluations of synthetics and screw caps, it will be possible to judge their suitability for extended aging, such as more than ten years. </p>
<p>Over centuries, winemakers have consistently taken advantage of new technology to improve their product, from oak barrels to bottles to modern crushing and pressing equipment and micro-oxygenation. While manufactured closures have some key advantages, it is proving difficult to displace natural cork due to its centuries-old tradition, albeit with a few problems, and its connection to the natural environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/35135/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Waterhouse received funding from the Plumpjack Wine Group to study closures. About 5 years ago he received research support from Nomacorc. </span></em></p>Most foods are best as fresh as possible. I remember picking peaches at my grandfather’s ranch in Northern California and eating them on the spot. What a taste! But the exceptions to this rule are the…Andrew Waterhouse, Professor of Enology, University of California, DavisLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.