corks size questions
 

I have been recently using number 8 corks in my wine and after doing some reading Ive been hearing alot about not being able to age wine unless your using a number 9 cork. I was just wondering how valid this is, my bottles have never leaked with the number 8 corks and the liquid never goes above the bottom of the cork.... I was wondering if anybody could show me some proof that oxidiation occurs faster with the 8s then the 9s.The wine I am making now we be consumed in less then 2 years, is this too long to be using the number 8 corks???

I've had #8s in mead for three years and Wines for 2 with no problem.

I have no idea if they really would be a problem after that. Now I have a floor corker and and use #9s

No long term data, even using #9s I just cant seem to keep a lot of 3-4 year old stuff in the house.

Use # 8's for my wines and # 9 for my Ports. Been doing this since 1983 and had no problems..

can you use a compression corker with the number 9s or is a floor corker the only thing that works? And also while we are on corking subject how much air is everyone leaving in the bottles, is there anyway to cork a bottle without leaving air?(without a commercial corker)

You can use #9s, but it's more difficult to get it in without a floor corker.