Cork is made from the bark of a type of oak tree (but not the typical oak tree). After 25 years of growth, the tree reaches the age for harvesting, and the thick bark is separated to be soaked and processed into cork.
Unlike ordinary trees that die when their bark is removed, this species will not die; it will continue to live and can be harvested again after another 15-20 years.
The countries that produce the most cork today are Spain and Portugal.
Currently, only mid-range to high-end wine/oil bottles use real corks, while cheaper wines use synthetic corks.
