Broken Bottle

[DrJack]

So yesterday, I was bottling a French Merlot that had been setting for almost 6 months. Everything was going well up until the corking part. I was using a Portuguese double handle corker and was inserting the corks when the top ofone of thebottles exploded. Wine everywhere. There must have been a hair line crack or weak spot in the bottle and it was a mess. Luckily, noinjuries, BUT I did loose a whole bottle of wine which was the worst of it. So make sure to check your bottles closely for any problems.

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks for posting that caution. Can you tell us what kind of bottle it was and what size cork you were putting into it. Was it a screw cap bottle that you were adding the cork to? Fortunately you were not hurt.

 

[Wade E]

Bummer but thank goodness you werent hurt, it really requires a bottle to be strong when using the hand corker cause these corkers dont squeeze a cork nearly as well as a floor corker.

 

[DrJack]

I was using Bordeaux style bottles with a #9 size cork. I do have to say that it made me a little nervouscorking the rest of them after that happened.I do think that I will be investing in a floor corker as my next purchase.

 

[Wade E]

You will love that decision!

 

[Runningwolf]

You will never regret it. Floor corkers simplify the job and there is no need to soak your corks either with a floor corker.

 

[RJMehr]

DrJack,

Here is another vote for getting a Floor Corker, I have both the Portuguese and the Italian models. They both work great. When I use the Portuguese corker, I place it on my countertop and cork the bottles without bending over. The Italian corker is about 3 inches higher and I place it on the floor when I use it.

You will find that a floor corker is one of the best equipment purchases will make in your winemaking hobby.

Robert

 

[Goodfella]

I finally gave in and got a floor corker. They are nice. The double handle unit I was using before works great, but you are constantly crouching over.

 

[Bartman]

I'm still a proud defender of the two-handed corker, but I'm wondering, Goodfella, why you are crouching over to use it? I bottle by the kitchen sink and insert the corks on the kitchen counter. If anything, I am stretching upward (a little) to get my weight above the two-handed corker.