You may recall the issue of so-called cork taint that ravaged the wine industry not so long ago. Many natural corks were infected with a compound called TCA (short for trichloroanisole, which forms through interactions between plant phenols, chlorine, and mold). TCA was a huge problem until recently, spoiling many bottles of wine, including some of the most expensive, with an unpleasant, musty aroma. The TCA issue prompted many wineries to switch to screwcap closures despite initial resistance from the distribution chain, which feared a consumer backlash because screwcaps had previously been used mostly for cheap wines or jug wines. Some producers of fine wine resisted the transition and moved away from natural corks to what are described as “composite” corks made up of various materials. Now we have a different problem. Many of the composite corks are difficult to work with and, in some cases, dangerous because of the …