Corks: Dry Insertion
No More Soaking
For years, bottlers have been told to soak corks before insertion.
This has changed as of now: We now recommend inserting corks dry, without
soaking.
This change is the
result of improvements in cork quality, and a better understanding of
the way spoilage organisms and bacteria work on the surface of a cork.
Natural Corks
- made from pure
cork bark, which has pits and channels in it
- soaking activates
spoilage organisms on the cork or in the channels and pits
- these organisms
could affect the wine (i.e. cause wine spoilage, cause off-flavours
and aromas)
- sulphiting a cork
has a similar effect: sulphite releases sulphur dioxide gas, which inhibits
microorganisms, but after the sulphur dioxide gas dissipates, the remaining
liquid can activate bacteria and carry it out of the cork
Processed Corks
- engineered corks
(Altec) and manufactured corks (agglomerate) are coated with an inert
silicone compound, which produces a smooth surface and renders the corks
waterproof
- liquid will bead
on the silicone surface and then run off when the cork is put into a
bottle
- liquid can pool
inside the corker, causing corrosion0
- worse, liquid can
drip into the wine bottles, carrying dust and bacteria from inside the
corker
The Benefits of
Dry Insertion
- the moisture content
of Wine Cave corks is ideal: they are pliable enough to go into the
bottle and require no further treatment to soften them
- inserting corks
dry prevents liquid from pooling inside the corker
- our corks are originally
packaged with a residual dose of sulphur dioxide gas, which prevents
bacteria or other organisms from contaminating the corks before they
reach your wine
Storage Recommendations
Once a bag of corks has been opened, we recommend the following storage
method:
- put an open bottle
of sulphite solution in a large pail
- pour your corks
in around the bottle and close the pail tightly
- corks stored this
way will remain sanitary and keep their moisture content
- change the sulphite
in the bottle every two weeks to ensure freshness
NOTE: These
are ideal storage conditions for all Wine Cave corks. However, if customers
use their corks within one month of opening the bag, the corks will remain
in acceptable condition if the bag is rolled up tightly and stored in
a clean, dry place.
