Let us now take a moment to appreciate the little guy, the unsung hero—the cork in the wine bottle.

Until the mid 1600s, nobody understood the incredible sealing abilities of the bark from the cork oak (Quercus suber), instead relying on oil-soaked rags as stoppers. Today anywhere from 60-80% of the billions of wine bottles sold each year rely on a natural cork seal.

Some quick facts about cork and the Cork oak:

• On average, a single tree can live about 200 years. Over the course of its life, the bark of the oak may be harvested 12 times.
• Cork oaks occur naturally in Europe and Northern Africa.
• Cork forests provide habitats for a number of endangered species, such as the Iberian lynx (the most critically threatened cat in the world).
• Besides being lightweight and insulating, the bark of the cork tree helps protect the branches of the tree in case of fire. While other burned trees have to start regenerating from seeds, the cork tree is able to regrow from a more mature stage.
• Besides wine stoppers, cork is also used in office bulletin boards, floor tiles, and musical instruments. It also makes up the core of a baseball (although using cork in the center of a baseball bat is a good way to get thrown out of the game!)