Is degassing really that important ?

Wineries don't degass since they store in barrels and the barrels allow for natural degassinating (i think that's what its called) so me bottling after adding sulfite wouldn't it be ok especially since the cork should act as the barrels do to naturally allow for co2 to escape.... am I correct on this?

The barrels aren't sealed. The cork seals the bottle.

I was told today that wood is still used because of its fibers and due to those fibers it doesn't allow the heavier liquids to escape but it allows the co2 gasses out....which got me thinking of the corks which are wood fibers and how i have yet to see a wine worth drinking with a plastic cork.

Well...don't knock the plastic corks yet. They're great and I have never had a problem using them...but I digress as that's a conversation for another thread...

Wineries bulk age their wines in barrels the same way we bulk age in carboys. The bung (in their case) and our airlocks serve the same purpose of letting co2 out and keeping oxygen out while the wine naturally degasses. In both cases, the wine isn't bottled until it's aged, oaked (if desired), etc, and still.

Once bottled (in either method) the wine is completely degassed. At corking, it is important to leave the bottles upright for a couple days to let the compressed air escape around the sides of the cork. This is from the pressure created in the bottle headspace by forcing the cork into the neck. After that point the bottles have 'naturalized' the pressure and can be laid on their side to seal the corks and prevent oxygen from entering.

But really, I don't give much thought to degassing my wines. They're almost always completely still when sulfited, and I still give them a quick whip out of habit prior to going into bottles.

FlyinDan1017 said:

Well...don't knock the plastic corks yet. They're great and I have never had a problem using them...but I digress as that's a conversation for another thread...

Wineries bulk age their wines in barrels the same way we bulk age in carboys. The bung (in their case) and our airlocks serve the same purpose of letting co2 out and keeping oxygen out while the wine naturally degasses. In both cases, the wine isn't bottled until it's aged, oaked (if desired), etc, and still.

Once bottled (in either method) the wine is completely degassed. At corking, it is important to leave the bottles upright for a couple days to let the compressed air escape around the sides of the cork. This is from the pressure created in the bottle headspace by forcing the cork into the neck. After that point the bottles have 'naturalized' the pressure and can be laid on their side to seal the corks and prevent oxygen from entering.

But really, I don't give much thought to degassing my wines. They're almost always completely still when sulfited, and I still give them a quick whip out of habit prior to going into bottles.

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Don't get me wrong about the plastic cork ..i use them as my tasters cap and after I've opened a bottle and havent drank it all but lets face it I've never seen a fine wine with a plastic cork...

I vacuum degass so its not really that painful.

Hint: Swing by your local medical device store and see if they have any returned medical vacuum pumps. I got mine for a couple bottles of wine and the purchase of a new collection cup, and hoses/filter. The guy even cleaned it all our me before he gave it to me. For $27 and some wine it was a great deal.

Airplanedoc said:

I vacuum degass so its not really that painful.

Hint: Swing by your local medical device store and see if they have any returned medical vacuum pumps. I got mine for a couple bottles of wine and the purchase of a new collection cup, and hoses/filter. The guy even cleaned it all our me before he gave it to me. For $27 and some wine it was a great deal.

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Got any pictures ?

Im out of town for a while so I dont have any pics but here is a link to the one I picked up

http://www.dremed.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/45_380/products_id/265

I had to purchase all the hose and the canister on the left in the 2nd pic. Apparently once they come back in, the med supply place can't send it back out, and it has already been depreciated off, so they pitch them.