Portugal is the world’s leading producer of cork. In 2023, cork exports achieved a record value of €1.2 billion, 75 percent of which came from cork stoppers, according to APCOR, the Portuguese association of cork producers. The Amorim Group, Portugal’s leading cork company, claims that around one out of three wine bottles worldwide is sealed with a cork stopper made in Portugal. About 20 years ago, significant concerns emerged that cork might lose market share to synthetic alternatives, which were less expensive and carried no risk of spoiling the wine with ‘cork taint’. However, the industry …