Bleeding corks?

[JDesCotes]

I noticed today that some of my 1 year old wine (4-5 bottles) have started bleeding or crying from the centre of the cork...



Why would they do this?
Will it hurt the wine? (The bottle I just opened tasted amazing)
Should I worry?

As a side note: I mark the top of each cork with a coloured symbol which I map to a sheet so that I can know the recipe used, bottle date, etc. black bar in this case is a high alcohol (18%) Oaked skeeter pee that was bottled last July.

 

[Rocky]

What type and size of corks are they? I see that they are agglomerated and they seem to be a very coarse agglomeration. I also note some dark lines down the side of the corks. What do you suppose that is. It does not appear to be printing. I have found the best size cork is #9 by 1.75" long. Another comment (and it is hard to see from the photo), it appears to me that the bottles are very full, i.e. there is little to no ullage in the bottle. Changes in barometric pressure and temperature could cause the wine to be force through and around the cork if the bottle is too full.

BTW, if your ABV is truly 18%, you should have little to worry about as far as spoilage is concerned.

 

[cmason1957]

I used to get this occasionally, back when I soaked corks before inserting them. I stopped doing that and have never had this problem since then.

 

[maurtis]

The only time I have gotten that was on a DB where I boiled the corks beforehand (I stopped doing that) and also stored the bottles on their sides immediately after corking instead of waiting a few days upright.

Since I stopped boiling my corks and started letting them sit upright for a few days after corking, no problems. I use #8 corks as well, but only store for a few months. Maybe a year if I lose a bottle in the back of my closet, LOL. For longer term I would go with a #9.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I also had the same problem and switched to synthetics and I also wax the tops for extra protection

 

[FTC Wines]

Since I have gone to a "cork a dor" I only get cork bleeding 1 in maybe 600-700 bottles. Figure it's just a bad cork. I replace the cork & put the bottle back on the rack. I'm using amalagated corks, 13 cents ea, & usually get 5 yrs out of them with no problems. Roy

 

[JDesCotes]

I use synthetic cork which are the only size my local wine shop sells... I'll try to get down to measure them later today.

I have never boiled corks as I am very careful to not expose them anything outside the sealed bag they came in and the corker.

I always let me freshly corked bottle stand upright for a full week before turning them on their side.

I try to fill to 1/2 inch below cork but sometimes I'm a bit high on my estimates.

Is it possible that either the high heat in my cold cellar (doesn't get very hot... But may have 1 or 2 days this week) could have caused this?

 

[Julie]

I never boiled mine but I would dip them into sanitizer prior to inserting them in the bottle and they would leak. Also, if the corks are 1/2" in length instead of 3/4" that could be a problem. I really don't think your basement getting warm one or two days would have caused this

 

[garymc]

I'm so pleased to read that we have a reformed corksoaker in the group. I use a corkador also. Don't handle the corks any more than necessary, use a floor corker and #9 corks. Nomacorc, amalgamated large chunks, amalgamated fine, dual disc, and real, normal corks. None has ever leaked. I also leave them standing for 2 days to a week before storing the bottles on the side

 

[JDesCotes]

What is a corkador...? I googled it and could find anything on it.

 

[Rocky]

What is a corkador...? I googled it and could find anything on it.

It is an apparatus in which one sanitizes corks in the presence of K-meta solution so that the gas from the K-meta sanitizes the corks, without actually touching them. I don't know if anyone makes a corkador for sale but I made mine from an old salad spinner. I put the solution in the outer basket and the corks in the slotted basket and cover them for about an hour or so before bottling.

 

[cmason1957]

I use synthetic cork which are the only size my local wine shop sells... I'll try to get down to measure them later today.

If your wine shop is selling the corks in that bottle and telling you they are synthetic, I think I would find a different source for corks. They sure look like ammoglareted corks to me. I could be wrong.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I agree with Craig ^^

Those are definitely not synthetic corks