Are the shrink capsules important

[Sammyk]

We bottled a lot of our wine but I am wondering do I really need those shrink capsules?

 

[grapeman]

They really don't do much for the bottles but dress them up a bit.

 

[Runningwolf]

Short answer is no. I think they add a lot to the presentation and that is thier only purpose. Also they help identify what you have left in stock of any particular wine when they are all laying thier sides in a rack. Just do each batch a different color.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

History lesson:.... capsules were first used in wine shops to keep the customers form comparing bottles to get the one with the most in it. With a capsule on it you can not compare amounts.

 

[GreginND]

That's interesting. I didn't know that.

 

[saddlebronze]

Purely cosmetic, but easy to put on and take off. If you are drinking them yourself, I would say no, but if you are giving them away, I like them.

 

[Tom_S]

They do keep dust from settling in the small crack between the cork and mouth of the bottle. But dipping the bottle in wax would have the same effect.

 

[btom2004]

I think they are very important. They look great and makes the bottled, labeled wine look excellent. Not only that, I think they also serve to keep corks clean and secure from popping out of the bottles.

 

[Tom_S]

They don't hold the corks in if there's a refermentation. The one batch I had referment blew the corks even though I'd put capsules on the bottles.

 

[btom2004]

Really...Ok scratch that last part of my statement...lol

 

[keena]

History lesson:.... capsules were first used in wine shops to keep the customers form comparing bottles to get the one with the most in it. With a capsule on it you can not compare amounts.

Tip the bottle up side down and compare the air bubble? Lol

 

[joeswine]

seals

YES , they do make a bottle of wine look finished ,but also they ,if applied properly make a very air tight seal between the bottle and the cork ,keeping unwanted microbs that search out moisture and attache themselves and create mold,the seal creates a barrier to help prevent the attachment,especially if the storage are is subject to high humidity or other forms or air bore fungus.

 

[keena]

All the capsules I've seen always have 4 holes in the top though. Wouldn't that let the moisture in?

 

[robie]

Tip the bottle up side down and compare the air bubble? Lol

That is still a good practice, if you can see the top of the wine. Today, since most commercial wine bottles are filled by machine (I know, not all of them!), each same-brand bottle should be at exactly the same level. Comparing levels can help you spot a bottle that has a slightly leaky cork.

 

[Rocky]

That is still a good practice, if you can see the top of the wine. Today, since most commercial wine bottles are filled by machine (I know, not all of them!), each same-brand bottle should be at exactly the same level. Comparing levels can help you spot a bottle that has a slightly leaky cork.

Please don't that this too seriously, Robie (I majored in Math), but actually not only are all bottles not filled to the same level, from a mathematical point of view, no two are filled to the "exactly the same level."

 

[Tom_S]

But, I'm betting that a machine will be more accurate than a person filling by hand, and probably the differences from the bottles filled by machine will be negligible.

 

[Rocky]

No doubt about that whatsoever, Tom. I was just having some fun pointing out that analog quantities can never be "equal" and only digital quantities can. For practical purposes, the volumes or levels are "equal" but not in a mathematical sense. Probably should not have mentioned it.

 

[Tom_S]

Getting back to the original theme of this thread, anyone who's ever given wine away will probably tell you that the first thing people tend to notice is the shrink wrap capsule on the top of the bottle and will comment on it. There's nothing like giving a bottle of wine to a non-winemaker and having them comment on the professional appearance of the bottle.

 

[jstan]

My understanding (which could be wrong) is that capsules were originally used to protect the cork from attack by rodents and insects.

 

[Tom_S]

I don't know, but that's a good reason for using them. I don't have any mice in my wine cellar, but there are often insects. Some of the labels on my older bottles in my cellar have what appears to be silverfish damage.