Most likely a simple question

I am about to bottle my first batch of wine made a few months ago. I have the corks and a hand corker. Do I need anything else? Do I need to soak the corks? If so how long do I soak them? Do I simply sanitize them before use? I guess that was a few questions. Thanks.

you may want to stabilize your wine with potassium sorbet and/or campden tablets. it would probably be a good idea to soak your corks and corker in a sanitizer before use.

I think you can also boil the corks.

I wouldn't boil corks, you could easily destroy their structural integrity, especially if you're using synthetic corks. I just sulfite my corks in lukewarm solution; it works just fine for me. Regards, GF.

Hmm, I think I picked up boiling from Terry Geary... the boiling killed things and softened them up to make them easier to mold. As they cool, they would make a better seal? I'm doing this from memory, so I might be wrong.

Not trying to start a debate or anything, but Jack Keller says:

"Wisdom changes with experience and research. When I started making wine, you boiled corks also. Later, that changed to cold soaking overnight in sulfite solution. Now, I simply submerge them in sulfite solution for about two minutes.

Boiling is actually bad for the corks and renders them brittle as they dry out. Prolonged cold soaking is simply a waste of time because the sulfite solution sanitizes the corks within two minutes.
"

Okay, that is good enough for me! I'll quit boiling.

If the corks are new, in a plastic bag, I don't even sanitize them. But if they've been opened a while, I get paranoid and feel the need to sanitize.

What I've done (and it's worked well for me for years!) is to boil 1/2 cup of water and a couple of campden tablets in the microwave in a small glass pyrex measuring cup. (This is the solution that is going into the bottling bucket in a little while). Once the campden is dissolved, and the water is hot, I put it container and all, into a bigger bowl. Do NOT put this near your face, as it's got major sulfite fumes coming off of it. Place the corks around it, and put a lid on the bowl. This sulfite "gas" steams in there while I finish sanitizing my bottles. I then remove that sulfite solution, recover the bowl, and pour it into my bottling bucket. Then, I rack the wine into it and proceed.

I assume that it's sanitizing the corks somewhat, as it works as a sulfite humidor. Maybe it's not, too. But that's what I've done for years and I haven't had one bad bottle yet.