The Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) says new research shows there is a widening price premium between wines sealed with cork and screwcaps.

It said the average price for wines with corks in the top 250 in the UK off-trade now stands at £8.19, compared to £6.93 for screwcap wines.

The gap between the two has increased from 12.6% in 2021 to 18.2% in 2026.

Cork accounts for 54.2% of the market value for wines priced above £10 and 72.2% for those over £12, APCOR added.

But the organisation said the research shouldn’t be seen as suggesting that cork is the preserve of expensive wines, with some of the strongest growth coming from “widely accessible brand at accessible price points”, such as Treasury Wine Estates’ 19 Crimes.

It also claimed cork-sealed wines in the top 250 were growing faster than the market, with sales up 5.9% year on year, versus 3.5% overall.

The research also shows that cork is expanding its role beyond red wine, with cork doubling its share in white from 11% to 22% and increasing its role in rosé to 5% share.

Claudia Pimenta, APCOR’s general director, said: “This is not simply a story about expensive wine.

“The success of widely available brands at accessible prices shows that cork can help producers and retailers communicate quality across the mainstream market, giving shoppers a recognisable quality cue without taking the wine beyond an everyday price point.

“What this research shows us is that, while cheaper wines, often bottled under screwcap, are losing ground, cork is the signal of quality consumers are looking for.”