sealing wax to help storage life?

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LarryW

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I was wondering if I could dip my corked bottles in sealing wax after corking to help the storage life of the wine? I see where people discuss the merits of different corks. Would sealing with wax solve the worry if you wanted to age your wine several years? I have #8 corks for my first kit because I read that the portugese double lever didn't work well with #9.
Thanks for the help!
 
The wax will helpmprotect your wine from conditions like high humidity or low humidity cellaring but will also prevent your wine from aging much at all so youll want to age your wine before bottling then.
 
Thanks for the reply
So what you are saying is that the cork needs to breathe?
Can the polymer corks breathe too?
And do you thing the portugese double lever can only handle #8 corks. Should I be getting different corking supplies if I want to make wine that I will cellar for a few years?
 
Thanks for the reply
So what you are saying is that the cork needs to breathe?
Can the polymer corks breathe too?
And do you thing the portugese double lever can only handle #8 corks. Should I be getting different corking supplies if I want to make wine that I will cellar for a few years?

corks breathe at the side walls, not through the cork. the polymer ones do so less than a standard cork. a grade A, #9 cork should do the trick. it all depends on how much aging you want. Most fruit wines are best 2-5 years and a #9 works well. if you want to age a fruit wine 5+ years, then maybe add the wax. most of the oxygen needed to age a fruit wine will be in the bottle when you bottle it.

keeping the right temps/humidity is important too. if you have fluctuating temps and high humidity, use the wax. you really only need to let a heavier red wine "breathe" some. in that case, the #8 or #9 will work depending on how long you want to age it.

what wines are you working with?
 
I intend to make some good quality reds such as merlot, cabernet, chianti. And some whites too. Maybe a few fruits too.
I'm on my first kit now and it is a reisling.
Previously I have been making concord from frozen juice concentrates and not aging, just drinking. It's not too bad.
 

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