Bmd2k1
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Does anyone just cork and skip the shrink wrap?
- Thread starter David Engel
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Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
For home winemaking, I never add shrink wrap. These days, QC on corks is good enough that I don't think adding a capsule has a functional role.
But for commercial wines I think it's an interesting question. Do you think that adding foil (or wax seal, or some other closure) imparts a more prestigious, or luxury feel to the wine? Would you think less of a premium wine (say >$50 per bottle) that had just a bare cork closure?
To me, a wine looks cheap without the foil. Besides, the original purpose was to keep the cork and top of the bottle clean, and that still holds true. My bottles in the cellar collect dust over time, and I've purchased commercial wines (online) that were covered in cardboard dust.
Interesting question…. My first answer is no, it wouldn’t because I’m more interested in what’s in the bottle not necessarily how it looks.
My follow up is putting my public health hat on and wondering how the enclosure fared on the road from bottling to sitting on a shelf somewhere. Of course boxes would prevent most things from settling in the space where the cork sits, and it’s easy to see if someone has tinkered with the cork or contents if there’s an in-tact enclosure. It’s not a problem until it’s a problem. That’s why we now have sealed and shrink wrapped over the counter medications in child-proof containers.
That being said, if I liked the wine, it probably wouldn’t really bother me at all.
My follow up is putting my public health hat on and wondering how the enclosure fared on the road from bottling to sitting on a shelf somewhere. Of course boxes would prevent most things from settling in the space where the cork sits, and it’s easy to see if someone has tinkered with the cork or contents if there’s an in-tact enclosure. It’s not a problem until it’s a problem. That’s why we now have sealed and shrink wrapped over the counter medications in child-proof containers.
That being said, if I liked the wine, it probably wouldn’t really bother me at all.
Oh holy moly don’t even get me started on THAT! LOLI guess you are glad that they are no longer lead!
How might one go about shrinking the heat shrink caps? Is there a best method? standard blow-dryer wasn't cutting it, tried boiling water and shrunk too much that it split.
I used a hair dryer for decades. A while back I purchased a heat gun from Harbor Freight, and it works great!
Ok cool thank you! I think my hair dryer doesn't get hot enough? will look into heat gun
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Boil some water, enough to cover a cap. Hold the cap in place with a spoon. Dunk under water, shrinks up quite well
This is the one I purchased. Put the capsule on the bottle, hold it down with your finger on the other side from the gun. I put it on low and hold it about 6" away. I start at the top and once the first part shrinks, I can let go of the capsule and turn the bottle. It takes less than 10 seconds to do a bottle.Ok cool thank you! I think my hair dryer doesn't get hot enough? will look into heat gun
I tried that but couldn't keep the water hot enough, plus it was a bit on the messy side.
doesn't matter except it makes it easier to identify wines laid horizontally by cap colour
I use shrink caps. Boil water in a pot deep enough to insert the length of the cap plus a little more. When it comes to a boil or nearly there, hold the cap at the bottom - the lowest part on the neck - with your finger. The moment it the top is in the water you can release your finger and finish the quick dunk. It's so easy that when my friends come over to help me with my wine "chores" I let them do it. They all say it's fun to do - I think it's why they come help me. 
Ericphotoart
Senior Member
I use heat gun for shrink wraps. When I use shrink wraps, my bottles have already labels attached so hot water is out of the question. I print them on inkjet printer so water would damage them.
I forgot to post the link to the heat gun I purchased.
https://www.harborfreight.com/power...t-11-amp-dual-temperature-heat-gun-56434.html
I like Harbor Freight products -- they are NOT high end, but for a weekend warrior such as myself, they are sufficient and less expensive. When I finished our cellar 20 years ago I purchased a lot of tools (compressor, nail guns, air wrench, etc.) and have everything still in good working condition other then the compressor.
https://www.harborfreight.com/power...t-11-amp-dual-temperature-heat-gun-56434.html
I like Harbor Freight products -- they are NOT high end, but for a weekend warrior such as myself, they are sufficient and less expensive. When I finished our cellar 20 years ago I purchased a lot of tools (compressor, nail guns, air wrench, etc.) and have everything still in good working condition other then the compressor.
FlamingoEmporium
Senior Member
I use the steam from a boiling teakettle.
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I never shrink wrap. Not worth the time or money to do it for me. I have noticed many more California boutique high quality wineries not using shrink wrap either but will have their logo and design on the cork to be seen through the neck of the bottle without shrink wrap.
I may have as many as 20 different wines in the racks -- as others have noted, capsules make it far easier to find a specific wine.
I skip the caps for quick drinkers (dragonblood, skeeter pee). For those I intend to age more than 9 months, my current method is to bottle and cork, let them sit upright a few hours or overnight, put on the caps, then wait another day or so to label.
To shrink the caps, I boil water, turn off the burner, and dunk 7 or 8 bottles, then turn the burner back on to reheat while I get the next set of bottles ready (move them next to the stove and put the caps on them).
A year or so ago, I bought this tool - it holds the caps on while dunking the bottles in the boiling water and I can use the other end of it to remove the cap from kit concentrate bladder bags:
Bag Decapper & Shrink Tool Combo
https://a.co/d/b5RoK9f
To shrink the caps, I boil water, turn off the burner, and dunk 7 or 8 bottles, then turn the burner back on to reheat while I get the next set of bottles ready (move them next to the stove and put the caps on them).
A year or so ago, I bought this tool - it holds the caps on while dunking the bottles in the boiling water and I can use the other end of it to remove the cap from kit concentrate bladder bags:
Bag Decapper & Shrink Tool Combo
https://a.co/d/b5RoK9f
