Weird Champagne cork

[Nick Wine Guy]

Uncorked a Ruinart NV the other day and the cork was a little 'unevenly' flared out, pics attached.

Should a cork always flare out, regardless of age/any other reason? I have had some thst look very compressed on the bottom - is that an indication of storage issues?

Thank you.

[Wizz]

I've had that sort of thing on standard corks - they just didn't end up square in the bottle. Not an issue create by storage, but by manufacturing,

[Nick Wine Guy]

OK, interesting.

I have also had corks that are completely straight, i.e. looked like regular corks - is that typical of older Champagnes? Or should a Champagne cork typically flare out after popping regardless of age?

[Wizz]

OK, interesting.

I have also had corks that are completely straight, i.e. looked like regular corks - is that typical of older Champagnes? Or should a Champagne cork typically flare out after popping regardless of age?

After a while they lose their elasticity and "straighten". I've seen this in older champagnes and Aussie sparkling reds, and it often goes with the wine losing some of its fizz. It can make the corks hard to get out intact, presumably from loss of pressure? Might be some industry types on this forum who understand the mechanism,