Corktrekking at Maroteira Vinhos

This morning, we headed to Maroteira Vinhas to do some corktrekking. A quick look at their wine factory before getting into jeeps to tour and learn all about the cork farm. Our driver was Daniel.

This 6 generation cork farm is run by water wells and solar panels. To fill in the gap of cork harvesting, they have the vineyard, pigs, and cattle.

The Holm oak trees on the property drop acorns to feed black Iberian pigs. The pigs are shipped to them to be fed from November to February, where they will double in weight. They get paid by the difference in the weight and make good money. These trees are protected by law and have to be inspected to confirm they are dead before cutting down. The hard wood from the trees can be made into furniture.

The vineyards are a "dry" vineyard as they rely on the rainy season for quality, not quantity. Their grape harvest is from the end of July to the end of September.

The cork trees, on average, take 25 years before harvesting them, then gaps of 9-12 years before subsequent harvests. The common cork screw is not made until the 3rd harvest as they need the thickness for them, which could be up to 65 years' worth of growing. Extraction is from May to August, and the tree starts to sweat, which makes the bark easier to remove. Skilled workers are called "strippers" as they use a tool called a "stripper" (ax) to remove manually. They cut into the tree like a zipper, then pry off. They try to have the bark come off in one piece. The bigger the piece, the more money. Harvesting bark allows the tree to regrow, making cork a renewable, sustainable resource. It is also non-flammable.Read more