Put A Zork In It! - Episode #543

September 22, 2008

The Zork wine bottle enclosure announces its presence with authority on the Thunder Show.

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Comments on this episode(171) Leave a comment ›

“Interesting show. QOTD: No i have not. I like the closure, although …” by yowens
“The zork makes a nifty pop. Have never had a zorked bottle. Does the…” by Sharon
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Muse Genie
2006 Hey Mambo Red
2007 Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Zork Website

171 Responses

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about 2 months ago

yowens
Interesting show. QOTD: No i have not. I like the closure, although I feel it only would fit well with the types of wines you had today, the cool name, easy going somewhat cheaper wines. Hard to imagine that closure being popular in Burgundy.
about 2 months ago

Sharon
The zork makes a nifty pop. Have never had a zorked bottle. Does the material of the zork affect the wine, though?
about 3 months ago

Keith Brown
Never “zorked”, but it looks fine to me. Other than the “unknown” of how the Stelvin Enclosure (AKA “screw top”) affects aging, I think the use of natural corks has actually outlived its usefulness. I’ve had “corked” wines several times and because state law forbids returning alcoholic beverages, I’m just screwed. No pun intended. Give me anything other than a cork if it means eliminating the chances of infected wine. What is that stat? 90% of wine purchased in the US is consumed immediately?? Something like that… Why do you need a cork?
about 3 months ago

YoungDave
QOTD: The Zork works for me- and I like th fact that the tops are interchangeable for almost any other bottle to re-cork for a perfect fit every time. I’ve used the Zork on the 2006 Leese-Fitch Chardonnay.
about 3 months ago

Achilleas in Cyprus
Looks like a nice idea, but would question if it gave the wine a synthetic taste.
about 3 months ago

Steve
GV: I went to the wine store and bought a bottle of Red Knot, thinking I would taste it while watching WLTV to see if I could pick up some of the smells/tastes like you do (my “pal” is unsophisticated), but it turns out I bought the syrah instead. Have to go to the store again. Will keep trying. Keep up the good work. But I’m liking the syrah. The Zork is fine. I like it better than a screw top, not as well as the traditional cork.
about 3 months ago

kana winery
despite the ease of opening, Zork Closures are still synthetic plastic cork closures that can give a plasticized flavor to wines. They are cheaper and designed for cheap wines. My winery has moved away from synthetic corks to screw-caps for wines that are not meant to cellar-age. Great show Gary!
about 3 months ago

Bartenda
From a service perspective the zork is very easy to open and can be done quickly. At table side service it is a great conversation piece as well. I wonder, can it be used in different bottles? Then you never have to buy those decorative cork stoppers again and you are recycling!!
about 3 months ago

the unknown chef
I can totally see where the zork people are coming from. I personally don’t mind screw caps but I do understand that the aesthetics of the zork may have more appeal to staunch cork fans. Would be smart if the zork parts were recyclable, are they?
about 3 months ago

Jimmy T
QOTD: I am a traditionalist at times so, I don’t like it.
about 3 months ago

Chris Rufkahr
I am new to the Vaynerchuck World. I love all the videos so far. This was very informative. I like that you do tastings not just based on region or varietal but also on something like the cork type (or closure or whatever you called it.)

I am going to send an email to my peeps that I do In Home Wine Tastings for and see if we can get some “Zorked Wines”. I think it would be interesting to do a wine tasting of wines with different closures. OK, I know it is impossible to find such wines all from the same region and vintage and of the same varietal but it would still be fun. The closures of which I am aware are cork, screw cap, synthetic cork, and now zork. Any others???

Cheers!

The Traveling Wineaux
about 3 months ago

Bruce
I have done a little bottling as a volunteer at a winery in north Texas and we tried the Zork manual system as a test. I have not talked to the owner to see how the bottles are holding up in storage but I can say that Zorking the bottles was a pain.

The devise used to apply it did not really stand up to a small production run. We had to use a rubber mallet and brute force to set them properly.

Now the wine we bottled … it tastes great!
about 3 months ago

Scott the ex wine dude
QOTD - Love the zork, very handy & quick. I have only had it on Plungerhead Zinfandel ($18.00/California)
Very one dimensional for the money though. It went up several dollars a bottle the next time I saw it on the shelf, wasn’t worth it the first time.
about 3 months ago

kathyintex ( kathyd )
QOTD: yes, had a zork before, i don’t mind them. better than ruining wine with a tainted cork. but, some of the romance and flair is missing without the old fashioned waiter’s corkscrew (LOVE that thing!). something to be said for having corkscrew skills. amazing how many people who drink wine everyday and do not yet know how to operate a waiter’s corkscrew.

PS - you people who are not trying a wine simply b/c it has an alternate closure, you are missing out on some nice and surprising wines.
about 3 months ago

Dan-o
I prefer a screw top to a Zork.
I had a bottle of Gemtree from Australia that had a Zork - I think it was a zork anywat.
about 3 months ago

Jerry Bob
Never seen a zork. I like the concept, but the popping sound could be prevented for the sake of those who would say it bruises,what ever that is, the wine.
about 3 months ago

Sean
Have never seen a Zork up close. Wish you had done more close-ups of it. I’ll have to go look for one this weekend…I guess another way you are getting me to expand my PAL.
about 3 months ago

Taste of Grape
I’ve done a few tastings with wines that have the Zork closure. People are interested in looking and feeling, but still very cautious about unusual closures.
about 3 months ago

Kenny Dion
never had one, i’ve seen them though and wondered what the hell the were. I guess i’m a cork snob, because i don’t really buy screw tops either. just like the fact that i can collect all these corks and not some cheap metal or plastic top. I dunno, maybe it’s just me.
about 3 months ago

Casey Lee
Zork ? COOL never used it. . i like the idea though.
about 3 months ago

boegemann
QOTD: Jury is still out on the Zork for me. Concerns include how well a wine can age if there’s no air seepage, and what’s the carbon footprint of this product versus cork, which comes from a renewable resource.

Never had the opportunity to open a bottle with one of these.
about 3 months ago

thefaamakesmedrink
GV: “It’s an 85, 86 point bottle of wine.”

Michelle: ” Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz…”

The two Go Airlines pilots: “Zzzzzzzzzzzzz, too.”

Once again, the magic number 85 is tossed about on the Thunder Show and yet, the camera never moves up and over to the jersey hanging on the wall.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMottgio, our nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you…?

What’s that you say, Gary Vaynerchuk, Joltin’ Chris has left and gone away…?

Regards,

Artie and Paul
about 3 months ago

Darcey and Cliff
Cool show … cool enuff! Yup, used a zork … had a zork … been with a zork (been with a few). Actually had the Hey Mambo too: I didn’t dump it, so …
about 3 months ago

Adam Teece
QOTD: I’ve never used the Zork, but I am very interested in it. I am not a big fan of traditional cork because of the chance of it ruining the wine. Hopefully this will satisfy the cork snobs out there that hate the screwtop. I personally have no problem with the screwtop at all, but then again I don’t really know any better either.
about 3 months ago

wannaBconnoisseur
Q- Pretty cool and no.