AN OVERVIEW OF WINE BOTTLING
Bottling can be a very exciting time, particularly if it
is your
first batch. This is the time that all your efforts and
aspirations are captured into a bottle--a nice, neat
little
package that you can save for your own consumption or
that you
can pass along to family and friends.
When it comes to bottling your wine, realize that there
are some
choices you can make. Some are a matter of practicality
other
choices are just for fun. The bottle color, the type of
corker to
use, as well as the style of cork will all need to be
given some
consideration.
Also, you have available to you an assortment of
decorative neck
seals and bottle labeling to add to the excitement.
These items
will give your bottles a professional look. So, lets
start at the
beginning.
- What Bottle Color Is Best?
There are three different bottle colors we have
available: Green,
Blue and Clear. Colored bottles were originally designed
to
reduce the light exposure to your wine. Excessive light
exposure
over time promotes oxidation in wines.
For more information about wine oxidation see the
article,
"Controlling Oxidation In Your Wines" listed on our web
site.
If your wines are stored in a dark place then the wine
bottle's
color makes no difference--choose whichever bottle color
that
pleases your liking. But, if you store your wine in the
kitchen,
dinning area or some other area where there is light,
then our
green wine bottle would be your best option.
For more information on the wine bottles we offer go to:
- Which Type Of Cork Is Best?
If you plan on storing your wine for 18 months or longer
we
strongly recommend that you use the Superior Grade, Size
#9
Straight Cork listed at the link below:
#9
Superior Grade Straight Cork
Straight Corks are the same type of cork you will find
in most
all commercial wine bottles. Straight corks require a
corker to
press them into the neck of the bottle.
_____
If you are making an extremely full-bodied wine or plan
on
storing your wine more than 3 years, we would then
recommend
using our Extra First Grade, Size #9 Straight Cork
listed at the
link below:
#9
Extra First Grade Straight Corks
These are the same diameter as the "Superior Grade"
corks,
but are made from a denser cork. They are 1-3/4 inches
long as
opposed the the "Superior Grade corks that are 1-1/2
inches long.
These corks require a corker as well.
_____
And finally, if you plan on drinking all of your wine
within 18
months, then our Mushroom Corks listed at the link below
will be
suitable. Unlike the Straight Corks mentioned above,
these can be
put in by hand:
- Which Wine Bottle Corker Should I Buy?
All of the corkers we offer put Straight Corks into a
wine bottle
equally well. They all utilize a compressing iris to
compress the
cork down to a diameter that can be easily plunged into
the
bottle. The main difference between these corkers is how
fast
they can be operated.
The most economical corker we offer is called the Gilda
Compression Hand Corker it can be viewed at the link
listed
below. It is well suited for corking 5 or 10 gallons of
wine at
a time:
If you plan on making more than 10 gallons of wine at a
time, or
you plan on bottling more than 200 bottles a year, you
would
probably rather have the Floor Model Corking Machine
listed at
the link below. It is a little faster, making larger
bottling
jobs a little easier to manage:
- What Type Of Neck Capsules Are Available?
We have two types of decorative neck capsules for wine
bottles.
Neck capsules are actually sleeves that fit over the
neck of the
wine bottle--just like what you see on commercial
bottles at the
store.
While these sleeves do add decoration to the wine bottle
they
also have a couple of other more practical functions.
They help
to eliminate the growth of mold and bacteria on the
outward
exposed surface of the cork while it is in storage. And,
they
also help to keep the cork in place, should it decide to
push out
of the bottle.
Our Heat Shrink Capsules are made of a thin PVPP plastic
that
shrinks when they are exposed to heat. They can be
applied to a
wine bottle very easily by placing them over the wine
bottle's
neck and then dipping them into hot water for a few
seconds.
Heat Shrink Capsules add a very professional look that
grabs
attention. They come in nine different colors from gold
to
burgundy.
For more in formation on the Heat Shrink Capsules we
offer go to:
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We also have Gold Foil Capsules. They are similar to the
Heat
Shrink Capsules in function, but are made of foil
instead of
plastic. You apply them to the neck of the wine bottle
by simply
crimping them down by hand.
The inside of the capsule is lightly coated with an
adhesive that
will stick to the neck of the bottle when it is
moistened.
The Gold Foil Capsules are a very flashy decoration that
fits
well at a dinner party or celebration. For more
information about
the Gold Foil Capsules go to:
- What To Look For In A Wine Label?
Bottle labels are another way to bring flash and a
professional
look to your own wine. We have an assortment of color
themes to
choose from.
When deciding on which label to use you will want to
take into
consideration a couple of things. First, the color of
the neck
capsule on the bottle should also be on the label you
select. It
does not necessarily have to be the main color of the
label, a
few spots of it here and there is fine.
The color of the wine bottle being used should also be
taken into
consideration. A green bottle will be more hospitable to
certain
labels than a blue wine bottle and vice versa.
If you are using a clear wine bottle then obviously you
will need
to consider the color of the wine when choosing a wine
label. To
view the wine bottle labels we offer go to:
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E. C. Kraus
Home Wine & Beer Making Supplies
Address: 733 S. Northern Blvd. - P. O. Box 7850 - Independence, MO 64053
Phone:(816) 254-7448 Fax:(816) 254-7051 Toll Free: (800) 353-1906
Email: customerservice@eckraus.com
Copyright (c) 2003, Kraus Sales, L. L. C. All rights reserved. This article may be passed
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