Who has ...

[Joanie]

...their own custom corks? I would love to do that!

 

[Goodfella]

I looked at having some made a while back. It was like a dollar something per cork. And had a minimum amount to buy.I still have not done it.


Maybe someone here knows where to get a better deal.

 

[Wade E]

George can have it done for you but there is a set up fee the first time.

 

[AlFulchino]

i will be hopefully do so down the road...as Wade mentioned George can do it....also i know a company that gets its corks from Italy that i have spoke to, they can burn or print ( your choice) your logo or name on for a one time set up fee and then any corks you buy the rest of your life are covered at a reasonable price ( but the quantity is 1000 or 2000 ( idont recall)

i agree, its a very very very nice touch.....but i place the importance of it many notches below the importance of a good label...and further down the list are those tin caps that go over the bottle top.....it always makes me think of a christmas present during an over commercialized holiday season...and there is something happy new yr and chintzy about those caps....just my devalued 2 cents

 

[grapeman]

Joan you seem to be a very crafty lady. Why not etch out your own stamp with your special design. Then you could get plain corks and a stamp pad and make your own small runs of custom corks.


Once I have my winery up and running, I will certainly get them customized. Anyone thinking 1000 corks would last a lifetime just isn't making enough wine! I got 1000 plain imprinted corks from George about a month ago and they will be gone after today.

 

[Joanie]

What kid of ink would you use, Appleman?

 

[grapeman]

I'm not sure the ink would make a lot of difference since I don't think it would ever be in contact with the wine. Anybody know of a food safe ink? We had a birthday cake that had frosing with a picture printed on it, so I know it exists, but not sure how colorfast it is or if it might run.

 

[AlFulchino]

isnt it a parafin ink? i think i heard that somewhere

 

[Joanie]

The more I research making my own, the more difficult it seems! Even more importantly, I worry about taking off that coating that's on them by handling them. I try to not touch George's and only do that when picking them up and putting them in the corker.

I guess I will have to save my pennies and order them from George.

 

[Big Ike]

Joan,

Send Jim Cook a note. He recently did custom corks through George. The proofs are here somewhere.

I think he calls his wine Black Magic.

 

[Joanie]

I'm not sure how but I missed Jim's cork design. I searched and found it. It's wonderful!

 

[JimCook]

I had ordered the corks through George and they turned out awesome. I was sent a design proof from the company that manufactures the corks and it was exactly what I received in cork form later. 1,000 corks was the minimum order, but know that the Grower's Club discount did apply in this case (a happy discovery for me), so it takes the cost down a bit. I am extremely pleased with the custom corks and they look really wonderful in the bottles.


- Jim

 

[Joanie]

Do you show them off with clear caps or do you not use caps?

 

[JimCook]

Joan,
I definitely use caps and they are generally metallic. My above comment was pulled from that time period after bottling where the bottles sit before I cap them. Like commercial wine, those corks will be happily covered and will then sit out next to the bottle that has been opened when the time comes.


- Jim

 

[wctisue]

I worked with George two years ago to get custom corks. It's impressive to not only have your own label but when the cork comes out and you show them the cork -- its OH WOW!!!


I went with a very simple design -- just a bunch of grapes and last name. I'll definitely do a little more enhancement next time.


Now lets talk about the corks themselves. Agglomerate corks leave that parafin mark in the neck of the bottle that I'm not happy with. Don't know if I'll try a different style of cork or what.


The cost isn't really a problem. Plain corks are $150 per 1000 while corks with your own name on them are $170 per 1000 with the one-time set up charge of $100.


Joan I see you making some very pretty labels. Now its time to cork those wines with a cork you're absolutely proud of.


Wayne