Has anyone ever told you to “put a cork in it”? Well, we decided we should put a cork in it! In the last Wine Club article, I talked about screwcaps, and included in the shipment was a wine sealed with a screwcap. This time, in preparation for you encountering a new(ish) product we’re using on our Chardonnay, I wanted to talk about some new(ish) corks that we call “Micro-Agglos.” We’ve actually tested these corks on our Pinot Noir Nouveau as well as our Goat Ranch Red wine, but this will be our first time using them on our 2024 Carneros Chardonnay.

These corks are called "micro agglos" because they’re a modified version of what the wine industry calls “agglos”—corks made from larger bits of cork that are binded and pressed together into the shape of a traditional cork. The bits are typically chunks about 3–4 mm in diameter, and they function just like regular corks in keeping the wine sealed. I believe these were originally produced using leftover cork fragments—what remains after standard corks are punched out of cork bark sheets. One benefit of the larger chunks is that they’re easier to clean, especially from impurities like mold that can cause TCA (the culprit behind “corked” bottles).

Micro agglos are similar to the regular agglos in that it is again compressed bits of cork, but use much smaller cork particles—closer to 0.5 mm in diameter. It looks more like cork dust, and the final product actually resembles a traditional cork more than regular agglos do. The upside of the micro agglos is that the smaller particles can be cleaned more thoroughly, which removes more impurities. As a result, they’re far less likely to cause off-flavors or TCA contamination. Another major benefit: they’re much easier to extract from bottles and offer a smoother pull.

So far, from the bottles I’ve opened across all three wines where we’ve used micro agglos, I really like how they pull. I also haven’t detected any off-flavors or aromas. The bigger question will be how these wines age. Our Pinot Noir Nouveau and Goat Ranch Red aren’t meant for aging—they’re designed for immediate enjoyment. But the 2024 Carneros Chardonnay I hope will age a bit longer, though it’s still a wine I craft to be consumed relatively young rather than cellared for years. For the 2024 French and American Oak Reserve Chardonnays, I stuck with traditional corks since I know exactly how they interact with the wine over time, and I didn’t want to introduce too many variables. We’ll see how the Carneros Chardonnay evolves—but so far, so good. You’ll likely see it in an upcoming Wine Club shipment, and I hope you enjoy the wine and these new corks!