For hundreds of years, there was no controversy at all—a wine bottle was sealed with a natural cork, and that was that. Recently, however, the rise of synthetic corks and screw-top bottles has led to impassioned arguments about which type of seal was best for the wine.

Although the screw-top has typically been considered a sign of cheap or inferior wine, there have been a number of well-evaluated wines in the past few years that are proudly bottled with the screw-top. Screw-tops are the predominant wine closure in wines from New Zealand, and have also caught on at other major wineries. Still, the mystique of the natural cork remains strong, with some countries specifically forbidding the use of any other wine closure. Spain, in 2006, outlawed all but natural cork in 11 of their wine-producing regions.

Share your opinions in the comments—you may be surprised how many different viewpoints there are on the subject of sealing wines!

Here are some quick pros and cons about the three main varieties of wine enclosures.

Natural Cork

Pros: Creates a dependable seal due to its ability to conform to any bottleneck. Environmentally friendly (biodegradable, and can be harvested without killing the tree).

Cons: As much as 20% of wine sealed with natural cork may be spoiled by oxidation, caused by faulty cork seals. Natural cork may be difficult to remove, and the cork may fall into the bottle when removed, tainting the wine.

Synthetic Cork

Pros: Prevents cork taint, and a plastic cork is recyclable. Cheaper than natural cork to produce, and not subject to humidity concerns.

Cons: If not recycled, plastic corks are actually worse for the environment. Not a dependable seal for wines you intend to store long-term, as plastic corks will eventually lose their elasticity.

Screw-tops

Pros: Create a perfectly airtight seal, eliminating problems of cork taint and oxidation. Cheap and easy to remove, and not subject to humidity concerns.

Cons: May cause sulfidation in wines because the seal is too airtight. Environmentally unfriendly, and also not a dependable seal for wines you intend to store long-term.