By the late 17th century, the cork stopper, used for centuries in Portugal and Spain, became the standard closure for wine bottles in England and France. The cork, lightweight, elastic, and impermeable, provided a far superior seal to the previous wooden stoppers or oil-soaked rags, allowing wine to be aged in bottles without spoilage. This innovation was crucial for the development of the vintage wine trade, as it enabled wine to be stored and transported safely over long distances and for extended periods, fundamentally changing the economics of the wine industry.

The cork stopper became a symbol of preservation and anticipation in poetry, representing the moment of opening a bottle and releasing the pleasures within. It appears in the works of 18th-century poets like Alexander Pope, who wrote of the 'cork' that 'flies' at the festive table, an image of celebration and conviviality. The cork, and the act of uncorking, became a metaphor for unlocking secrets, memories, and the joys of friendship, a trope that has persisted in English and American poetry.