# Bottle Headspace



## jsbeckton (Jul 14, 2016)

I have a bottle filler and a colonna caper/corker. When fill a bottle by pressing the bottle filler to the bottom and lifting when the wine reaches the top the filler seems to leave too much headspace when removed. I find that after corking with 1.5" corks I still have about 3/4" headspace but commercial wines seem to have only about 1/2". Is this a problem or should I be "topping up" my bottles by pressing the wand down on the side of the neck on the way out to get a little more in each bottle?


----------



## jsbeckton (Jul 14, 2016)

Actually I think most commercial wines are only 1/4"...


----------



## dcbrown73 (Jul 14, 2016)

My first bottling experience was inconsistent. From no space to almost an inch depending.

The advice I was given was about a finger width depth below the cork is about where the fill line should be.


----------



## Johnd (Jul 14, 2016)

jsbeckton said:


> I have a bottle filler and a colonna caper/corker. When fill a bottle by pressing the bottle filler to the bottom and lifting when the wine reaches the top the filler seems to leave too much headspace when removed. I find that after corking with 1.5" corks I still have about 3/4" headspace but commercial wines seem to have only about 1/2". Is this a problem or should I be "topping up" my bottles by pressing the wand down on the side of the neck on the way out to get a little more in each bottle?



You should have an airspace between the wine and bottom of the cork equivalent to about the diameter of a cork, too much more space risks oxidation, too little may result in your corks getting pushed out of the bottle by excessive air / liquid pressure. I use 1.75" corks and generally fill just up into the neck of a Bordeaux type bottle about 1/2".


----------



## JohnT (Jul 15, 2016)

When we bottle, we always have one person filling, then one person topping up. As a rule of thumb (we use Bordeaux bottles) the wine level should be one index finger's width above the bottle's shoulder.


----------



## Boatboy24 (Jul 15, 2016)

JohnT said:


> When we bottle, we always have one person filling, then one person topping up. As a rule of thumb (we use Bordeaux bottles) the wine level should be one index finger's width above the bottle's shoulder.



How can you measure with a finger for a rule of thumb?


----------



## DoctorCAD (Jul 15, 2016)

Rule of finger???


----------



## FTC Wines (Jul 15, 2016)

We use a "fat finger" here in Florida. Too many non wino's store there wine in very warm places, so a little extra head space is good. Roy


----------



## JohnT (Jul 15, 2016)

Oh, I have a finger for ya..


----------



## FTC Wines (Jul 15, 2016)

Thanks, John. I can always use a extra finger, especially a fat one! Roy


----------

