| 26 JUL 2004 |
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| 24 NOV 2003 |
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| 29 OCT 2003 |
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| 8 SEPT 2003 |
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Forest fires in Portugal not expected to affect cork production |
| 3 APR 2003 |
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Amorim Academy wine competition in 2003: Call for Applications |
| 18 FEB 2002 |
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Amorim Academy wine competition in 2002: Call for Applications |
| 20 JUL 2001 |
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10 APR 2001 |
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| 19 FEB 2001 |
| Amorim Academy wine competition in 2001: Call for Applications |
14 FEB 2001 |
Australia's first cork harvest in Canberra | |
24 JAN 2001 |
Amorim cork puts the seal on 100 years of Australian federal history | |
| 7 AUG 2000 |
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Neutrocork takes on plastic stoppers
Interest is growing fast among Australian winemakers in Amorim's newest technical stopper, Neutrocork®.
Several major Australian wineries have begun commercial trials of Neutrocork®, which is aimed squarely at capturing the attention of winemakers who are currently using synthetic stoppers.
According to Amorim Cork Australia's managing director, Tony Telfer, the new cork offers several advantages over synthetics. "Neutrocork® is an attractive-looking cork, which helps to ensure its acceptability with consumers, it's very competitively priced, and our trials show that it performs better than the synthetics in protecting the wine," he said. Shelf-life trials undertaken by Amorim Cork Australia show that, after 15 months, wines sealed under Neutrocork® retain significantly more sulfur dioxide (a key indicator of the wineÕs resistance to oxidation) than those under leading plastic stoppers.
Neutrocork® is an individually-moulded granulated cork made from cork granules that are smaller (2-3mm) than those used in traditional 'agglo' corks (typically 4-8mm). The granules are 100 per cent treated with Amorim's proprietary ROSA process to minimise releasable TCA, the principal cause of musty taints. (The ROSA process has been shown in industrial and independent laboratory tests to reduce releasable TCA in cork granules by 70 to 80 per cent, and by a similar proportion in laboratory tests on natural cork stoppers and cork discs).
Mr Telfer said Neutrocork® was an ideal closure for early-drinking, price-sensitive wines and he firmly believed the Australian wine industry would display the same high level of acceptance the cork has already enjoyed overseas. "Globally, Amorim has already sold 100 million of these corks and we are expecting world sales to exceed 500 million within two to three years," he said.
Amorim part en guerre contre le TCA avec ROSA
Fort de la validation de son nouveau procédé ROSA par trois laboratoires indépendants qui confirment que ce nouveau traitement réduit considérablement les risques de contamination, Amorim donne un coup d'accélérateur à sa production de bouchons traités avec ROSA.
Après trois années de Recherche et Développement, le procédé ROSA va progressivement être implanté dans toutes les usines d'Amorim. Les granulés qui constituent le corps des bouchons Neutrocork® et Twin Top® sont les premiers à bénéficier de ce nouveau procédé. Trois usines au Portugal utilisent déjà le procédé ROSA et une autre devrait démarrer la fabrication début 2004. Les bouchons produits par ces usines sont déjà sur le marché et il est prévu que toute la production de Twin Top® soit traitée avec ROSA dès le premier trimestre 2004.
La validation du procédé au niveau industriel vient d'être rendue par quatre laboratoires indépendants: l'Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) en Grande Bretagne, le Geisenheim Research Institute en Allemagne, et le laboratoire Excell en France. Les tests de validation menés par ces laboratoires ont confirmé que ROSA réduit de 80% le 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), principale cause du 'goût de bouchon' dans le vin.
Selon le Professeur Cabral, Directeur du département Recherche et Développement d'Amorim: "ROSA constitue un élément-clé de la boîte à outils développée par Amorim pour lutter contre le TCA. Toute la stratégie du groupe repose sur la combinaison de mesures préventives et curatives pour éliminer toute contamination du liège à chaque étape de production."
Amorim entend poursuivre le développement de ROSA sur les bouchons de liège naturel et les rondelles de liège.
ROSA process steams ahead into commercial production
Amorim today announced a 'gearing up' of its production of ROSA-treated corks, following confirmation from independent laboratories that the new treatment is highly effective against TCA in cork.
After three years of research and development, ROSA units are being progressively introduced into Amorim plants, starting with the treatment of the granules that form the shanks in Neutrocork® and Twin Top® corks. Three Amorim plants in Portugal are now using the ROSA process and another will be brought on-line in early 2004. Corks from these plants are already on the market.
It is expected that all Twin Top cork production will be ROSA-treated during the first quarter of 2004. Amorim's full commitment to commercial use of ROSA follows independent validation of the process at an industrial scale by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) in the UK and the Geisenheim Research Institute in Germany. A fourth independent validation is currently being conducted by another European laboratory.
Validation trials undertaken by these leading international wine laboratories have confirmed that ROSA consistently reduces releasable 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) levels in cork by up to 80 per cent. TCA is a natural trace contaminant in corkwood and the principal cause of musty taints in bottled wine. Under the process, developed by Amorim, pressurised water and steam are used to force out volatile contaminants from the cork. The key to the effective application of ROSA is the careful control of variables such as waterflow and steam temperature.
Each laboratory undertook a series of chemical analyses on cork samples before and after treatment with ROSA to determine the reduction in releasable TCA. To confirm the process as an effective treatment for TCA, a bottling trial by Amorim using ROSA-treated corks has shown a very significant reduction in the average incidence of TCA in bottled wine after 12 months. The closures in the bottling trial included both technical corks such as Twin Top® and whole natural cork stoppers.
The chairman of Corticeira Amorim, António Amorim, said his company would now begin to offer winemakers the benefit of ROSA-treated corks. "The board made a leap of faith in committing to develop ROSA three years ago and we are delighted that the results justify that investment. I congratulate our R&D team on a job well done," he said.
Amorim's head of research and development, Professor Miguel Cabral, said while ROSA does not eradicate TCA, it formed a key element in a package of initiatives developed by Amorim to defeat the problem. Amorim was optimistic about completing the development of ROSA for whole corks and cork discs.
"Amorim's whole strategy is based on using a combination of preventive and curative measures to avoid or remove cork contaminants at each critical point in the production chain. "ROSA adds a powerful curative measure to this armoury," Prof. Cabral said.
Forest fires in Portugal not expected to affect cork production
Severe fires in Portugal in August caused only slight damage to the country's cork forests and are expected to have little or no effect on Amorim's cork manufacturing operations.
It is currently estimated that the fires damaged 20 to 30 thousand hectares of cork forest, equal to about 3.5 per cent of the total Portuguese cork production area. However, an initial assessment by Amorim's forest inspectors indicates that most of the affected cork oaks will fully recuperate, provided the damaged outer layer of cork is removed during the next two years. More severely damaged trees will require further assessment, but even those may re-enter the normal production cycle.
In the meantime, it is unlikely the fire damage will limit Amorim's cork operations. The corkwood for 2004 is already in storage at Amorim's major cork-processing facilities in the south and this year's harvest was almost complete before the fires took hold in early August. The president of Corticeira Amorim SGPS, António Rios de Amorim, said the severity of this summer's fires highlighted the need for additional fire prevention measures. However, he was confident the impact on cork production in coming years would be minimal.
Mr Amorim said news coverage of the fires had focussed on the dense, volatile eucalypt and pine forests in the north, where the terrain is hilly and inaccessible. The cork forests, by contrast, are sparser and ongoing management keeps the forest floor clean and less prone to intense burning. "Also, because of its unique characteristics as a natural barrier to fire, the cork bark actively protects the tree and even apparently highly damaged trees can become fully productive again. We expect the total impact of the fires upon the nine-year cork harvesting cycle to be less than the normal variations in output that occur from year to year," he said.
Amorim Academy wine competition in 2003: call for applications
Applications are invited for the Amorim Academy 2003 competition for research related to the understanding of wine and its environment.
Established in 1992, the Amorim Academy is funded by Amorim, the world's leading cork producer. As well as providing research scholarships, the Academy awards three prizes each year to an individual or team for a significant piece of research that contributes to the advancement of wine quality. Research may be in the field of oenology, economics, law, ethnology or sociology.
Valued at a total of 11000 Euros, the awards are decided by a panel representing the wine industry and scientific community, presided over by the Academy's President, Robert Tinlot, who is also Honorary General Manager of the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin). It also includes Brian Croser, one of Australia's most respected winemakers. The deadline for submissions is 12 May 2003. Competition rules and a registration form may be obtained from the Academy Secretary (email: contact@academie-amorim.com).
The three prizes are:
The awards will be presented in November in a major French wine-growing region, in the presence of members of the Academy, previous winners, media and personalities from the winemaking world.
In 2002 the Amorim Academy Grand Prix was awarded to Catherine Peyrot des Gachons (University of Bordeaux 2) for her research into the aromatic potential of Vitis vinifera L.cv Sauvignon grapes. Following on from the work of the 2000 prize-winner, Takatoshi Tominaga, it has extended knowledge of the characteristic components of the white Sauvignon grape in Bordeaux.
Dr Peyrot des Gachons's work produced a precise method for measuring aroma precursors in Sauvignon grapes, their distribution throughout the berry and their evolution during maturation and the winemaking process. It found that alcoholic fermentation has a profound influence on the release of aromatic compounds derived from these precursors. New compounds were also identified, making it possible to interpret the mechanism by which the aroma precursors are formed. The work opens the way for very promising enzymological research.
Further information about the Amorim Academy and the competition can be obtained at www.academie-amorim.com.
Amorim Academy wine competition in 2002: call for applications
Applications are invited for the Amorim Academy 2002 competition for research related to the understanding of wine and its environment.
Established in 1992, the Amorim Academy is funded by Amorim, the world's leading cork producer. As well as providing research scholarships, the Academy awards three prizes each year to an individual or team for a significant piece of research that contributes to the advancement of wine quality. Research may be in the field of oenology, economics, law, ethnology or sociology.
Valued at a total of 11000 Euros (about AUD$18,700), the awards are decided by a panel representing the wine industry and scientific community, presided over by the Academy's President, Robert Tinlot, who is also Honorary General Manager of the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin). It also includes Brian Croser, one of Australia's most respected winemakers and the first Australian to be appointed to the Academy and one of the first from outside Europe. The deadline for submissions is 13 May 2002. Competition rules and a registration form may be obtained from the Academy Secretary (email: contact@academie-amorim.com).
The three prizes are:
The awards will be presented in November in a major French wine-growing region, in the presence of members of the Academy, previous winners, media and personalities from the winemaking world. Mr Croser encouraged Australian researchers to submit their work to the Academy for consideration.
"We have some of the best researchers in the wine field and this is a great opportunity for them to get their work more widely recognised and rewarded," he said. In 2001, René Siret (Oenology Laboratory-Faculty of Pharmacy, Montpellier) was awarded the Amorim Academy Grand Prix for his doctoral thesis, "A study of genetic polymorphism in cultivated vines (Vitis vinifera L) using microsatellite markers: application to the characterisation of varieties in wines".
The 'Coup de Coeur' prize was awarded to Frédéric Brochet for his study, "Tasting. A study of the chemical representations in the field of consciousness". Further information about the Amorim Academy and the competition can be obtained at www.academie-amorim.com.
Major study confirms Amorim cork as a top closure for wine
A major trial of wine closures has confirmed natural corks and Amorim Twin Top® corks among the very best closures for short-term cellaring of wine.
Undertaken by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), the two-year trial rated cork as best or close to the best for ease of extraction, the preservation of fruit characters in the wine and low incidences of leakage, oxidation and taint. The trial compared 14 commonly-used wine closures, including screw-caps and a range of synthetic stoppers. Cork was represented in the trial by Amorim Twin Top® technical cork and reference 2 and 3 natural corks.
Mr António Amorim, the chairman of Corticeira Amorim, the world's leading cork producer, described the findings as "a big boost for cork" and said they were consistent with comparative studies undertaken by researchers at Excell Laboratories in France and Geisenheim Research Institute in Germany. "These studies confirm our view that cork is a benign or neutral closure that can actually assist the wine to mature and develop complexity during bottle cellaring," he said.
Mr Amorim said Twin Top® had performed brilliantly as a short-term closure, whereas some synthetics, while highly consistent in performance, appeared to either adversely affect the wine or inhibit the bottle-ageing process. Amorim's head of R&D, Prof Miguel Cabral, noted that reference 2 and 3 natural corks and Amorim Twin TopØ corks finished in the top four in a field of 14 wine closures examined in the Australian trial.
"This study is being conducted under close-to-industry conditions and the first results clearly show that cork can outperform most of its competitors on almost all parameters, including retention of free sulfur dioxide (SO2), which protects the wine from oxidation and aldehyde," he said. Prof Cabral also felt cork's favourable performance, compared with other closures, would become increasingly evident as the experiment continued.
"Many of the plastic closures are likely to fall further behind on a range of parameters, and an off-aroma that emerged with screw-caps after 18 months appears to be worsening, according to the AWRI." On the key parameter of free sulfur dioxide (SO2), which protects wine from oxidation, Twin Top® was the highest ranked closure that had no significant adverse impact on the wine. Two other closures that had scored better than Twin Top® on SO2 were shown to impart musty taints or rubber-like aromas to the wine.
Amorim Twin Top® technical cork is now one of the world's most popular corks, with global sales likely to exceed 800 million in 2001. The cork comprises a high-grade natural cork disk at either end of a shank made from cork granules and a food-grade adhesive. Designed for short to medium cellaring, Twin Top® is an inexpensive closure that preserves the strong consumer preference for cork, while making a more efficient use of a valuable resource.
Mr Amorim said the AWRI findings were especially heartening because the study had not used corks made with the most recent innovations at Amorim. These included the introduction last year of a new boiling process incorporating the CONVEX system for removing volatile contaminants from the cork bark. However, despite cork's strong showing in the AWRI trial, he said Amorim would not relax its commitment to improving the technical performance of its wine closures. The Portuguese-based company currently spends about $US 6 million a year on R&D and product improvement.
"The AWRI results are evidence of the hard work we have done in the last few years but the lesson we have learnt from the wine industry is that the demands of our customers do not stand stillŃso nor can our efforts to meet those demands," he said.
AWRI study confirms Twin Top as a top performer
The managing director of Amorim Cork Australia, Mr Noel Heyes, today welcomed the long-awaited findings of a major wine closure trial undertaken by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI).
"It is a tremendously positive result for cork and it confirms our view that Amorim Twin Top®, which is made here in Melbourne, is the best closure for short-term cellaring of wine." Mr Heyes said the Amorim Twin Top® technical cork - identified in the study as a "One plus One" cork - had displayed remarkably good sealing properties over the 18 months of the trial to date.
Twin TopØ, produced at Amorim's cork manufacturing plant in Melbourne, is the only Australian-made cork closure. Production of the cork began in 1999. "In a field that included almost every major wine closure used worldwide, Amorim Twin Top® performed at or close to the top on every front, including ease of extraction, wine leakage, preservation of fruit attributes, and wine taint," he said.
"On the key parameter of free sulfur dioxide (SO2), which protects the wine from oxidation and over-development, Twin TopØ was the highest ranked closure that had no significant adverse impacts on the wine. Two other closures, while scoring better than Twin Top® on SO2, were shown to impart musty taints or rubber-like aromas to the wine.
Mr Heyes said Amorim Twin Top® was a technical cork comprising a high-grade natural cork disk at either end of a granulated shank. Designed specificially for short to medium term cellaring, Twin Top® is now used by more than 70 Australian wineries, including BRL Hardy and McWilliam's, and many wineries in the US and Europe. "As well as being a top performer, Twin Top® corks have the advantage of maintaining the traditional attributes of cork. It is also biodegradable and a highly efficient use of a valuable natural resource," he said.
NB: The first results of the AWRI wine bottle closure trial were published on 12 July 2001 in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research (AJGWR). Copies of the research article are available from Ms Val Rechner at the AJGWR (asvo@waite.adelaide.edu.au).
New chairman for Amorim cork
The recent annual general meeting of Corticeira Amorim, SGPS, SA, the holding company for the cork business of the Amorim Group, has elected Dr Ant—nio Rios de Amorim as its new chairman.
Dr Amorim replaces the man dubbed by Forbes magazine as 'The King of Cork', his uncle Amˇrico Amorim, the visionary leader who built the company into the world's biggest cork manufacturer. Mr Amˇrico Amorim decided to step down from the position to focus on the Amorim Group's other business interests. The fourth generation of the Amorim family, 34-year-old Dr Ant—nio Amorim has been for the past few years the managing director of Amorim & Irm‹os, the natural cork business unit of Corticeira Amorim.
An admirer of the Australian-led revolution that transformed the global wine industry in the last couple of decades, Dr Ant—nio Amorim has initiated a similar 'revolution' at Amorim Cork. "Amorim is undertaking an ambitious program to modernise and optimise its production processes to produce the highest quality cork products as consistently and cost effectively as possible," he said.
"Under my leadership, no one should doubt Amorim's commitment to bringing about change." Well known to the wine industry in Australia, where he is a frequent visitor, Dr Ant—nio Amorim holds a degree in Commerce and Social Sciences from the University of Birmingham (UK) and completed the executive program in Business Administration at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University (USA). He has also a diploma in oenology.
Mr Amˇrico Amorim remains as Chairman of AMORIM - INVESTIMENTOS E PARTICIPA‚ĶES, SGPS, SA, the holding company of the Amorim Group, established for managing its shareholdings in cork, real estate, hospitality, tourism, textiles, banking, insurance and property development. AMORIM - INVESTIMENTOS E PARTICIPA‚ĶES, SGPS, SA owns subsidiaries in 36 countries and comprises about 140 companies and a 5,000-strong workforce. CORTICEIRA AMORIM, SGPS, SA is one of the six sub-holdings of the Amorim Group and is directly responsible for the cork business of the company (natural cork, floor and wall coverings, composite cork, rubbercork, and insulation cork board). As a public company, it is quoted on the Lisbon Stock Exchange.
Amorim Academy wine competition in 2001: call for applications
Applications are invited for the 9th annual Amorim Academy competition for research related to the understanding of wine and its environment.
Established in 1992, the Amorim Academy is funded by the Portuguese manufacturer, Amorim, the world's leading cork producer. As well as providing research scholarships, the Academy awards three prizes each year to an individual or team for a significant piece of research that contributes to the advancement of wine quality. Research may be in the field of oenology, economics, law, ethnology or sociology.
Valued at a total of 11000 Euros (about AUD$18,800), the awards are decided by a panel representing the wine industry and scientific community, presided over by the Academy's President, Robert Tinlot, who is also Honorary General Manager of the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin). The deadline for submissions is 10 May 2001. Competition rules and a registration form may be obtained from the Academy Secretary (email: contact@academie-amorim.com).
The three prizes are:
The awards will be presented in November
in a major French wine-growing region, in the presence of members of the
Academy, previous winners, media and personalities from the winemaking
world.
In 2000, the AcademyÕs award ceremony was
held in London. The Grand Prix was won by Takatoshi Tominaga (Faculty of
Oenology, Bordeaux 2) for his doctoral thesis: 'Research on the varietal
aromas of wines of Vitis vinifera L. cv. sauvignon blanc and its genesis
from odourless grape precursors'.
Jean-Pierre Got was awarded the 'Coup de
Coeur' prize for his study on 'The Glass of Wine in Dutch Painting of the
Golden Age'. The Cork Oak prize was not awarded in 2000. Further
information about the Amorim Academy and the competition can be obtained on
the Internet at www.academie-amorim.com.
Australia's first cork harvest in Canberra In a first for
Australia, two Portuguese 'cork strippers' - Manuel Silva and Manuel Graça - have
harvested the Glenloch Cork Oak Plantation in Canberra's Stromlo Forest. The harvest, which
involved the delicate stripping of the cork trees' outer bark, was a joint initiative of
ACT Forests and Amorim, the world's leading cork producer. AmorimÕs sponsorship of the
historic project reflects the company's commitment to the Australian wine industry. The
Glenloch Cork Oak Plantation is the only cork 'forest' in the Southern Hemisphere.
Canberra's designer, Sir Walter Burley Griffin, established the nine hectare site some 90
years ago as part of his concept to make Canberra self-sufficient. The managing
director of Amorim Cork Australia, Noel Heyes, said his company was proud of its
involvement with Australia's only cork plantation. "Amorim has had a long and close
association with the Australian wine industry and our involvement with Glenloch aims to
ensure that the cork trees achieve their full potential and can produce cork seals for the
Canberra district's wine industry," Mr Heyes said. The cork
plantation could produce between 600 000 and 750 000 corks every nine years. It is
estimated that the cork from these trees will be mature enough for use in wine bottles in
15-20 years. In May last year, Amorim sponsored a review of the plantation by Portuguese
silviculturist, Francisco Lopes - an internationally recognised cork oak expert. As part
of the forest management plan, the forest was thinned and the first harvest of the cork
oak trees took place this month. ACT Urban Services
Minister, Brendan Smyth, said: "This harvest is exciting news for Canberra's local
wine industry. The cork stripping operation will increase the amount and quality of cork
produced by the trees. Local wine manufacturers are supporting this program and have
expressed strong interest in using this locally grown cork for selected wines in the
future." To harvest the cork, the outer bark is stripped from the tree once every
nine years and the tree regenerates the bark. The cork industry is environmentally
friendly and truly sustainable. The 'stripping' of cork bark is important for the on-going vitality
of the tree. A cork tree is not robust enough for harvest until it is at least 25 years
old. After the first harvest, the tree requires nine years to regenerate its bark for a
second stripping. This cycle continues on average for the next 150 years. The Chief
Executive of Helm Wines, Ken Helm, who has been closely involved with the program, said:
"I commend Amorim on their professional approach throughout this project Š it
reflects their ongoing dedication to the highest standards in every aspect of their
operation." Amorim cork puts the seal on 100 years of Australian federal history
Amorim Cork
Australia (ACA) is proud Amorim corks were selected to seal 40,000 magnums of red wine
bottled to mark the 100th anniversary of the Australian Federation. Its managing
director, Mr Noel Heyes, said his company, which had a long and close association with the
Australian wine industry, was honoured by the opportunity to donate the corks for the
Centenary of Federation wine, launched yesterday by the Prime Minister. Blended from wines
from all of Australia's 61 wine-producing regions, the commemorative red blend will be
sold as a collector's item to raise money for the National Wine Foundation, a body set up
to combat the social problems leading to alcohol abuse. "This will
become one of the most sought-after limited-edition wines ever produced in this country
and I'm immensely proud that every one of these magnums has an Amorim cork," he said.
Due to go on sale in February, at a recommended retail price of $100, the predominantly
cabernet/shiraz blend is expected to offer good cellaring potential for up to 30 years. "I don't know
if too many of these bottles will be opened and drunk, but the buyers can take comfort
from the fact that high-quality cork remains the best wine closure, especially for those
great wines that, like a great nation, take time to develop and reach their
maturity," Mr Heyes said. The cork used for the Centenary of Federation wine was a
45-mm reference 1 cork, one of the highest-grade corks supplied by Amorim Cork Australia.
The Centenary of Federation wine project is an initiative of the Winemakers Federation of Australia and the
National Wine Centre of Australia. Amorim Cork Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the world's leading cork producer, the Portugal-based Amorim.
Portugal's king of cork oaks yields to its growing fame
The most famous cork tree in the world - a massive oak older than the French Revolution - has once again yielded hundreds of kilograms of high-grade cork, enough to make more than 50,000 wine corks.
Planted in Portugal in 1783, six years before the French Revolution, the 'king of cork oaks', affectionately known as the Whistler Tree, has defied nature with high cork yields at an advanced age. Most cork trees produce their best cork between 60 and 90 years of age and then gradually slip into old age and decrepitude. But unlike the monarchists of 18th century France, this Ōking' has kept its head and continued to flourish.
The bark of the 217-year-old cork oak, was harvested this summer for the 21st time. A professional harvest team of five stripped the oak in just over four hours, producing about 650 kilograms of cork, 10 times the yield of an average cork tree.This year's harvest, the first since 1991, attracted local and international journalists and photographers, as well as a film crew. Among local cork buyers in Portugal's cork-dependent Alentejo region, the Whistler Tree - which is almost as old as the development of the wine cork itself - is a freak of nature. But for many the tree has become a symbol of sustainability and continuity for the Portuguese cork industry.
Recent reports in the UK that supermarket chains had advised customers the cork industry was environmentally unfriendly have caused consternation in Portugal, especially among forest experts and conservationists. One British customer allegedly received a letter from a supermarket chain claiming Portuguese farmers were cutting down cork trees to procure the cork. "That's not correct; the cork trees are not cut down for their bark, they're carefully stripped and the bark grows back," says Francisco Brito Evangelista, marketing and communications manager for Amorim, the leading Portuguese producer of wine corks.
"It's illegal to cut down a cork tree in Portugal without government certification that the tree is dying," Mr Brito Evangelista said. In addition, the Portuguese Government is currently considering measures to increase the penalties for illegal felling, including a proposal to prohibit the use of illegally cleared land for any other purpose for 25 years.
"Cork is the product of a truly renewable resource - the Whistler Tree is testament to the fact. Portugal's cork harvest has been in harmony with the cork forests for hundreds of years and the corks themselves are recyclable and biodegradable," he said. Ecologists point out that, without the cork industry, much of the cork forests would disappear, endangering the habitat and future of many species, including wild boar and several rare birds.
Amorim holds the contract to process the bark from the Whistler Tree and plans to use a significant proportion of the cork from the new millennium harvest for promotional activities, as well as for cork stoppers. Situated near the town of Águas de Moura in southern Portugal, the Whistler Tree stands over 14 metres high, with a trunk circumference of four metres and a canopy that stretches 28 metres across. It gets its name from the many songbirds it attracts.
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