Keeping corks wet

[jdriver84]

I just bottled up my first batch from this srping,and was reading that I need to keep wettingmy corks. How often does this take place? Are there other options for keeping the seal? DO you just rub a little water over the corks? set them upright a let some water lay in the space above the cork? COuld you do somethiglike smear vaseline or something on there that wouldn't dry out? lol

 

[Runningwolf]

Are you talking before or after bottling? Do not wet corks before bottling and NEVER use vasiline on them. I am not concerned about my bottles lying on their sides either.

 

[Julie]

The cork should fit snug in the bottle and there should be no reason to wet it down to make it fit again.

I would never wet or re-wet a cork, I would be concerned of the cork starting to break down. And like Runningwolf said, I would NEVER use vaseline on a cork.

 

[Rocky]

Vaseline! Yikes, you would never get it out ot the wine.

I remember when I was a "little children" my grandfather used to pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the wine in a gallon jug before adding a cork. This was to set up a barrier to oxygen. When we poured wine from the gallon, we never got all the olive oil out of it and there were little globules in every glass.

 

[Arne]

If your corks fit tight which they should, store your bottles on their sides, or some store them upside down. This will keep the corks wet from the wine. Arne.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I use nomacorcs, synthetic corks. These do not need to be kept wet. I store my bottles upright on my shelves. FYI

Be sure to use the right size cork and do not over fill your bottles.

 

[North_Ga_Jug-Or-Not]

Like Arne said, if you know the cork is the right size and it fits well just wait a few days after you bottle with them sitting upright(in case your bottles start to celebrate lol). After about 3-4 days you should be good, just lay the bottles on their sides and that will keep the cork wet. How theyve done it for a long time. Then just occasionally rotate your bottles(spin 180deg.) and let it age. If you have a lot of bottles, they do make bottle turners now that rotate them for you so you dont develop CT from turning them. Appearantly this is a big problem lately for the folks in wineries/restaurants whose job is to turn thousands of bottles all the time.

 

[rhoffart]

jdriver, I think it's just a little mis-understanding. When someone says you need to keep the cork wet, it is meant from the inside. Keep the wine in the bottle touching the cork by laying the bottle on it's side. I personally store mine upside-down to "keep the cork wet".

 

[jdriver84]

Ok, I have been keeping them on their sides at a slight angle. I'll give them a 180 turn every so often. How often to you think they need a turn?

 

[Runningwolf]

Ok so I'll open up the can of worms! First off I've never heard of having to occasionally turn your bottles unless it is champagne on a riddling board rack.

Next I am having doubts on how necessary it is to lay bottles on their side ( I do lay mine down incidentally). Think about it. There are thousands of cases sitting in the wineries stored in cases upright. Then they go to distributors before hitting the retailers. In some cases we could be talking 3-5 years or more. In this day and age we are using better corks and closers and taking better steps to protect the wine with preservitives (meta). Just some food for thought.

 

[UBB]

Ok so I'll open up the can of worms! First off I've never heard of having to occasionally turn your bottles unless it is champagne on a riddling board rack.

Next I am having doubts on how necessary it is to lay bottles on their side ( I do lay mine down incidentally). Think about it. There are thousands of cases sitting in the wineries stored in cases upright. Then they go to distributors before hitting the retailers. In some cases we could be talking 3-5 years or more. In this day and age we are using better corks and closers and taking better steps to protect the wine with preservitives (meta). Just some food for thought.

Well great!! Guess I'll scrap my plans for a wine rack making business!

 

[rhoffart]

Dan, I'm going with Wikipedia on this one.

 

[Dougxox]

First off, don't wet your corks before inserting them, just put them in dry. If you are storing them on a shelf on their side it will "wet" the cork enough to swell the cork. If you are keeping them in their boxes set them up side down for long term storage. If you drink your wine within one year, don't worry. stack them any way you want.
For less then 5 year storage you can use a #8 cork, if you are laying them down for 4+ years I would go with a #9 cork. 8's are easier to put in than 9's, as 9's are larger around.
Normacorks are plastic and will seal for a lifetime but more expensive than cork and may be overkill if you don't plan on keeping your wine for a long period of time.
For the ulitmate in corking theres the Zork, an all plastic top that you can tap in with a rubber mallet, then to open just peal off the outter ring. The bad thing about a Zork is about 3 times more expensive than cork but cool looking.

 

[jdriver84]

I don't even know what size cork I used, lol. I don't remember seeing a size on the bag, I'd have to go take a look. They went in pretty easy though. I wet them beforehand, because thats what every how-to on corking I Googled told me to do. I gave them a quick soak, popped them all in, let them sit upright for a week, then turned them down on their sides. I didn't seem to have any issues. I'd like to keep a few bottles of my Dandelion stored away for the long haul, to taste 5+ years down the road. Would there be any issues uncorking ad recorking them with a fatter cork?

 

[Runningwolf]

Jdriver you'll be fine recorking your bottles. Uncork and the recork each bottle right away.

 

[Giovannino]

Vaseline! Yikes, you would never get it out ot the wine.

I remember when I was a "little children" my grandfather used to pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the wine in a gallon jug before adding a cork. This was to set up a barrier to oxygen. When we poured wine from the gallon, we never got all the olive oil out of it and there were little globules in every glass.

That's interesting.

Heck, what difference would it make if you're drinking that wine and eating bread, cheese and olive oil.

 

[Giovannino]

Well great!! Guess I'll scrap my plans for a wine rack making business!

Don't do that dammit. Especially at the right price.

 

[Giovannino]

Ok so I'll open up the can of worms! First off I've never heard of having to occasionally turn your bottles unless it is champagne on a riddling board rack.

Next I am having doubts on how necessary it is to lay bottles on their side ( I do lay mine down incidentally). Think about it. There are thousands of cases sitting in the wineries stored in cases upright. Then they go to distributors before hitting the retailers. In some cases we could be talking 3-5 years or more. In this day and age we are using better corks and closers and taking better steps to protect the wine with preservitives (meta). Just some food for thought.

I guess it could be both right. Some wine like the Amarone I think, do need to be turned because of sediment. But then, I am no expert.

 

[FTC Wines]

I agree with Dan. But all my bottles are all on their sides, I just think the LOOK more natural on their sides, & keeping the corks wet can't hurt. Roy

 

[tonyt]

Think about it. There are thousands of cases sitting in the wineries stored in cases upright.

I asked just that question at a winery I visited recently. They said that the bottles were in the boxes upside down. They said that many wineries store case upside down some just invert the bottles.