Petition exceeds target

An online campaign by the French Cork Federation in association with the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) has attracted over 14,000 signatures to a petition supporting cork and cork forests.

The campaign originally aimed to secure 10,000 signatures — a figure that would save 1500 cork trees, the equivalent of 7.5 hectares of cork oak forests.

The French Cork Federation and APCOR are funding the sustainable management or planting of one cork tree for every six signatures received on the campaign website at www.petitionpourleliege.org

Both organisations are working with the Mediterranean Institute of Cork — a group involved in the sustainable management of cork forests in southern France.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, chairman of environmental organisation GoodPlanet, and Jean-Marie Pelt, chairman of the European Institute of Ecology, are supporting the campaign.

Petition signatures lead to new cork trees.

Subscribe online

In line with its environmental policies, Amorim is urging recipients of its ‘Bark to Bottle’ newsletter to subscribe to the publication online.

Now in its 24th edition, the newsletter has proven to be a popular resource with total global circulation exceeding 20,000. Available in English, German, French and Spanish, ‘Bark to Bottle’ is distributed in hard copy by Amorim offices and can be obtained directly by email. Past editions can be downloaded from www.corkfacts.com

If you receive the hard copy version of ‘Bark to Bottle’ and would like to receive it electronically in future, send your full name, email address and country to barktobottle@cliftongroup.com.au and ask to be removed from the hard copy distribution database.

Cork lesson for wine lovers

Nearly 6000 wine lovers gathered at London’s Sunday Times Wine Festival 2008 for the opportunity to taste a selection of over 300 wines from 17 countries. Organised by specialist wine merchant Laithwaites, Amorim was invited to participate to update patrons on wine closures.

“Our customers have knowledge and appreciation of wine, as well as a high expectation of the quality which we continue to deliver. This also incorporates aspects of packaging as part of the overall experience,” said Ann Linder, general manager production and development at Laithwaites.

“The vast majority of our customers have an obvious affinity towards natural cork. Whilst they already accepted a natural wine and cork association, linking with its tradition and heritage, they were fascinated to learn more about cork’s history, processing, functionalities and positive environmental impact.”

A sparkling first

Claiming top honours in the 2008 Amorim Cap Classique Challenge in South Africa was doubly sweet for producer J.C. Le Roux — not only did their 2006 pinot noir rosé beat 47 other entrants, it was the first pink sparkling wine to win the annual taste-off.

The winner was the maiden bubbly produced by cellarmaster Elunda Basson. However it is not the first success for J.C. Le Roux as the winery won in 2006.

Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) is one of the most successful sectors in the South African wine industry with sales growing from 701,000 litres in 2001 to 1.77 million litres in 2007.

“By supplying 70 per cent of cork stoppers used by South Africa's MCC producers Amorim is at the coalface of this most exciting part of the local industry,” said Amorim Cork South Africa general manager Joaquim Sa.

J.C. Le Roux cellarmaster Elunda Basson with Amorim’s Joaquim Sa.

Italy sells 200 million corks

Amorim Cork Italy sold its 200 millionth cork stopper recently. Achieving this milestone illustrates Amorim’s strength in one of the world’s most competitive and influential wine markets as well as the role cork plays in the Italian wine industry.

Amorim Cork Italy and Corticeira Amorim acknowledge the trust and confidence Italian winemakers have placed in Amorim’s products and reaffirm their commitment to the growth of Italy’s wine trade.

Dave Hamilton proudly dons the corkxedo at a wine festival in California.

Corkxedo a wine show stopper

California-based wine enthusiast Dave Hamilton has taken his love of wine to extraordinary lengths by making a tuxedo out of used wine corks.

The unique formal wear comprises 686 corks in the dinner jacket and 181 in the accompanying top hat, with a further 24 in a cane. It took approximately 800 hours to make over 10 months.

“The idea came while soaking in a hot tub with a glass of wine and thinking of an art project for the annual Burning Man Art Festival in Nevada,” said Dave Hamilton.

More than 240 wineries are represented with the oldest cork from a bottle of 1935 Chateau Lynch-Bages. The corkxedo has its own website at www.corkxedo.com

International offices certified

Amorim offices throughout the world continue to build on the company’s certification record in quality management, food packaging, ethical trade, environmental management, forest stewardship and occupational health and safety.

Spanish affiliate Victor Y Amorim has been awarded ISO 22000 food safety certification for the finishing and distribution of cork stoppers, while Amorim Australasia has secured HACCP accreditation for food packaging.