<p>Cork-derived laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes were manufactured from discarded cork stoppers, then evaluated as an electrochemical sensor for caffeic acid (CA) detection. Cork-LIG electrodes were manufactured from different sources of natural cork, comprising cork from wine bottle stoppers and a commercial cork sheet for comparison. The cork-LIG electrodes were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The electrochemical response of the cork-LIG electrodes fabricated was evaluated, and a post-treatment step was proposed to improve this response. Furthermore, the cork-LIG electrode was studied for the detection of caffeic acid, a phenolic acid present in beverages such as wine and grape juice and known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The electrochemical behavior of CA on the cork-LIG surface was studied using cyclic voltammetry in different pH conditions. The oxidation and reduction peaks of caffeic acid were duly analyzed and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was employed to measure CA, which exhibited a linear response range between 30 and 1000 µM, with a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 133 and 443 µmol L^− 1, respectively. The cork-LIG based sensor was employed in real samples of dry red wine and industrialized grape juice, where CA was quantified at 19.2 and 41.6 mg L^− 1, respectively. The manufactured electrochemical sensor based on cork was produced in a single-step laser graphitization and was able to quantify CA in commercial wine and juice with simplicity and low cost, employing bioderived and waste carbonaceous material.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>