Cork Help

[shilohhills]

I've been making wine for a few years, and I always use a combination of used and newly bought wine bottles. I have been using #8 corks for the last few batches due the #9 seeming too large. The #8's are seeming too large also. For the last few batches the corks are extremely difficult to remove and some break apart. I do store the wine at an angle to keep the corks moist. Any thoughts?

 

[Coffee49]

The #9's seem to be a larger dia. than in the past. Some bottle openings are a different size than others so a larger fitting cork is more reliable for long storage. cork quality makes a difference, widget.com has good top quality corks .65 ea. Well worth the price

 

[lukebuz]

I have discovered recently that how they are inserted makes all the difference in the world. I had a nice $20 "wing" hand corker, which left a big divot, somewhat crushing the corks and also not inserting them in perfectly straight. They would often break coming out, or at least leave a little chip.
I upgraded to a cheap $50 floor corker, and WOW WOW WOW. Perfect insertion, no damage, straight as she goes. I don't like having a large corker to store somewhere (small house), but WOW, totally worth it. Same corks - no damage whatsoever on removal.

 

[Coffee49]

The floor corkers are definately a time saver, they also can get dirty and contaminated inside. I wash my corker out with s02 and cold water rinse after every use.

 

[Brooothru]

If you're going to be serious about wine making, a good floor corker is the price of admission. #9 corks insert with ease in just about any bottle.

If your corks are disintegrating when pulled, it's not the cork size. It's the poor quality of the corks. Natural cork is getting rarer and more expensive. If you're really into making and preserving your wine you should be using at least Grade 3 corks, size #9, for standard 750 ml bottles.

Check out MoreWine. They supply many California wineries. Their selection is great, either Natural, synthetic or composite.