# Wine leaking through corks



## jody

I am still a newbie as this was my 4th kit.

I bought an Argentia Ridge Chateau Four-Week Shiraz kit at Costco. When I opened the box to my delight the corks were included. My local wine store charges $4 for 30 on top of the wine kit. 

One problem with the corks is that the wine is leaking through the corks. Let me explain: I bottled the wine a week ago and left the bottles upright for 7 days as the kit advised. Today I layed them on their sides in my wine rack. After 5-6 hours I noticed little drops coming out of the tops of the corks. Not much maybe 3-5 drops per cork. I am concerned as what to do. 

Should I buy some better corks and re-cork all the bottles? Also if I do that do I need to keep the bottles upright again for 5-7 days? Another concern of mine is if the wine is damaged? It tastes fine and is tasting better now that it has been bottled a week.

Thanks in advance.


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## Kev

Corks could be number 8 instead of number 9. 

I assume they are the aglomerated type ( little bits of cork glued together ).


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## Runningwolf

I agree the corks are probably #8's. I would spend the 4 dollars and buy new corks and recork the bottles asap. Yes leave them standing for a few days again before laying them on their sides.


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## Rocky

I agree that you should get new #9 corks and re-cork the bottles. Also, be sure that you are not filling the bottle too high? If you are using a Bordeaux bottle, just past the shoulder is sufficient. For a Burgundy bottle, fill it to about 1/2" to 3/4" below the cork. Good luck.


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## jody

Great thanks for the advice! I will re-cork the bottles tomorrow.

Yes Kev you assumed correct. 

They leaked through the center of the corks as well if that makes any difference. The corks did seem to be made of a finer material than what I usual see.


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## jody

Rocky said:


> I agree that you should get new #9 corks and re-cork the bottles. Also, be sure that you are not filling the bottle too high? If you are using a Bordeaux bottle, just past the shoulder is sufficient. For a Burgundy bottle, fill it to about 1/2" to 3/4" below the cork. Good luck.



I used only Bordeaux bottles and filled to 1/2" to 1" below the cork. Thanks for the advice I will fill just past the shoulder now.


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## jody

I have attached 2 photos in regards to my thread. The thread is resolved but I thought I would add this.


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## Dugger

When you open one of your bottles check to see if it has been degassed properly ( put your thumb over opening, give it a good shake and release) - if it releases a lot of pressure there is still a lot of CO2 in it and this could be forcing the wine through your corks. The corks should be replaced as suggested, but you may have to degas the bottles first, if it's needed.


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## jody

Dugger said:


> When you open one of your bottles check to see if it has been degassed properly ( put your thumb over opening, give it a good shake and release) - if it releases a lot of pressure there is still a lot of CO2 in it and this could be forcing the wine through your corks. The corks should be replaced as suggested, but you may have to degas the bottles first, if it's needed.



It releases a bit of pressure. I poured some into a decanter and it bubbled a little. After pouring some back into that bottle from the decanter I shook the bottle and it foamed some. I only used a stirring spoon to degas. During the 6 stirrings over a 24 hour period. If it is full of gas what do you think I should do now to degas? Pardon my ignorance of degassing(I thought it was that 24 hour period of stirring after the addition of the sorbate/sulphite.)


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## cpfan

jody said:


> It releases a bit of pressure. I poured some into a decanter and it bubbled a little. After pouring some back into that bottle from the decanter I shook the bottle and it foamed some. I only used a stirring spoon to degas. During the 6 stirrings over a 24 hour period. If it is full of gas what do you think I should do now to degas? Pardon my ignorance of degassing(I thought it was that 24 hour period of stirring after the addition of the sorbate/sulphite.)


Did you taste any? Was there a bit of fizz on the tongue?

Degassing is a real toughy for most beginner wine makers. Six stiirings over 24 hours, can be enough, **IF** the wine is stirred enough each time. Personally I find that a back-and-forth (or side-to-side) action does a better job of degassing than regular stirring (ie a round-and-round action). I actually do both, round-and-round with a drill stirrer (Fizz-X) to get the additives mixed, plus back-and-forth with the paddle end of the spoon for degassing. And I do it for quite a while.

Steve


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## jody

Oh yes I have been drinking the wine. I don't find that it fizzes on the tongue.

I stirred it 7 times in that 24 hour period. Mostly round and round with the paddle on the stirring spoon for 3-6 minutes. I would switch directions of stirring every minute to aggravate the surface. Each time I would put the airlock back on and it would release a lot of air, when I would go back 2-4 hours later the airlock had slowed to a stop. Then after stirring same thing. I did 4 stirrings the one day and then when I got up the next day I did 3 more.


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## Dugger

In addition to what cpfan says about degassing (I agree, back &forth seems more effective than round & round), the temperature of the wine should be at about 75*F; it degasses much easier at that warmer temp - think of a bottle of pop/beer that foams much more warm than cold when you open it - that's the CO2 coming out.


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## jody

Dugger said:


> In addition to what cpfan says about degassing (I agree, back &forth seems more effective than round & round), the temperature of the wine should be at about 75*F; it degasses much easier at that warmer temp - think of a bottle of pop/beer that foams much more warm than cold when you open it - that's the CO2 coming out.




When degassing my wine was at 63*F as I have a cool basement. My wine expert(at the the local supply store) says the heat belt shouldn't be used on a glass carboy as it can crack the carboy. I don't know how I could get the temp up for that stage.

My last three Wine Art Kits degassed fine. I had no problems like this anyway.

I am just going to re-cork and see how that goes. I run the chance of the corks popping out I guess. I have not heard a suggestion yet as how to degass at this stage.


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## Runningwolf

jody said:


> When degassing my wine was at 63*F as I have a cool basement. My wine expert(at the the local supply store) says the heat belt shouldn't be used on a glass carboy as it can crack the carboy. I don't know how I could get the temp up for that stage.
> QUOTE]
> 
> This is BS. almost everyone of us use heat belts on glass and plastic without issue. That is a "cover my butt" warning from the company. What you don't want to do is, put a brew belt on a carboy that just came from outside or from a freezer. The rapid temperature change could spell disaster. To add one to a carboy that is sitting at room temperature, you have no problem.


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## Dugger

Like Dan says, heat belts are used on carboys all the time - sometimes I will put two on if I want to get the temp up in a hurry.
If you are just going to recork, try shaking and releasing the gas from each bottle a few times before corking.


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## jody

Runningwolf said:


> jody said:
> 
> 
> 
> When degassing my wine was at 63*F as I have a cool basement. My wine expert(at the the local supply store) says the heat belt shouldn't be used on a glass carboy as it can crack the carboy. I don't know how I could get the temp up for that stage.
> QUOTE]
> 
> This is BS. almost everyone of us use heat belts on glass and plastic without issue. That is a "cover my butt" warning from the company. What you don't want to do is, put a brew belt on a carboy that just came from outside or from a freezer. The rapid temperature change could spell disaster. To add one to a carboy that is sitting at room temperature, you have no problem.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks a bunch this is just what I needed to put me further along. I will use the heat belt for secondary fermentation now. With a 4 week kit should I leave it on until bottling?
Click to expand...


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## Runningwolf

I only leave it on until I'm done degasing.


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## ArdenS

I agree that degassing can be a pain. Lately, I've been letting time do its thing combined with using a stirrer on my drill. Letting it sit seems to have reduced the effort I have to put into stirring. Seems to have worked okay so far.


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## mmadmikes1

The corks in the costco kits are junk. They are too small in length and size(no jokes please). $4 for 30 corks is about a small a price as you will spend in this hobby for Anything


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## rjb222

This could also be a case of quality of the corks. Costco and other bulk outlets demand a price from the supplier. The only way a supplier can fill the order and not loose money is cut quality of product.Cork is one of the places it is common to cut quality on. These kits are usually supplied with corks that are consumer seconds $4.00 divided by 30 bottles is only 14 cents per bottle to give you quality corks that won't leak.


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## Erica

I would buy these corks (Flor Quality Natural Wine Corks) And you shouldn't need to worry about anything, these are the best. Heres the link
http://www.widgetco.com/wine-corks-flor-quality-24-45

Suggested for wines: 12+ years old
Material: Highest Grade Natural Cork (1st of 9)
Diameter: #9 (24mm)
Length: 1-3/4" (44mm)
Fits: Standard Wine Bottles (750ml)

Natural "Flor" Wine Corks are natural wine corks intended for wine storage of 12+ years. Natural wine corks are punched from cork oak bark harvested once every 9 years, then dried for up to 2 more years. The wine corks are punched from the cork oak bark and then sorted by quality; the fewer the lenticels (crevise like imperfections) the better the wine cork. "Flor" is considered the highest quality-grade natural wine cork.

Made from 100% natural cork harvested in Portugal. All corks are TCA treated, carefully handled and ready for bottling. Large orders are packaged in S02 packaging. This wine cork will compress to fit standard wine bottles - corker is required.


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## cpfan

Erica said:


> I would buy these corks (Flor Quality Natural Wine Corks) And you shouldn't need to worry about anything, these are the best. Heres the link
> http://www.widgetco.com/wine-corks-flor-quality-24-45


A buck a cork plus shipping to Canada. I'm guessing that the OP isn't interested, and neither am I.

Steve


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## Runningwolf

I'm sure the quality is good but so is the quality of my top quality 1+1 corks for 1/10 of that price. I thought most high quality all natural corks were only about $0.30 each.


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## vacuumpumpman

Dan 
Which corks do you personally suggest ?
I do not have the ability to store wine bottles on their side,(too many bottles and little wall space ) So I have been using synthetic corks, so I can set them upright.
Any suggestions ?


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## Runningwolf

vacuumpumpman said:


> Dan
> Which corks do you personally suggest ?
> I do not have the ability to store wine bottles on their side,(too many bottles and little wall space ) So I have been using synthetic corks, so I can set them upright.
> Any suggestions ?


 Steve of coarse the first one I'm going to suggest is the synthetic. I personally don't like them as the self life of your wine is about 3-5 years and I think they play heck on cork openers, not to mention corker issues with them. I used them a fair bit when I first started out and never had any issues with them and there are others that still use them exclusively with no issues. The problems I mention are just from comments of other on here.

With all of that said, wine is stored upright in many warehouses and store shelves without any issues. It is my personal opinion the quality of corks have improved enough over the years that you can get away with storing your bottles upright with a decent cork. As I mentioned above I use 1+1 corks which have a real cork disc on each end of it.


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## winemaker_3352

Yeah corks - IMO can be more of a personal preference.

I use the Supreme Corq X2's - I love those!! They fit easily into the bottles - they are said to have a lifespan of 7 years on those.

Now - keep in mind - I will not know that for sure for about another 5 years  - so in time I will find out.

I store mine upright - which is one of the reason I went synthetic.


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## vacuumpumpman

Jon 
Do you have a link for those ?
I typically have used Nomacorc synthetics and been happy with then so far - but I do use my gildia so I do not put a possible crease in them and then I use the floor corker to push them about another 1/2'' down and wax just the top to prevent any air from entering 
(can you assume that I had a problem with air getting into the wine thru the creases caused by the corker ?)


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## winemaker_3352

vacuumpumpman said:


> Jon
> Do you have a link for those ?
> I typically have used Nomacorc synthetics and been happy with then so far - but I do use my gildia so I do not put a possible crease in them and then I use the floor corker to push them about another 1/2'' down and wax just the top to prevent any air from entering
> (can you assume that I had a problem with air getting into the wine thru the creases caused by the corker ?)



Does wine leak from those creases??

If not - I think you will be ok.Here is a PDF file on the Corq X2:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...sg=AFQjCNHh6lchszjJIvtxUmaH0-2j79NoBg&cad=rja

I got mine from Wine and Beer supply this time.

But you can also get them here:

Supreme Corq (Not the X2)

http://www.stompthemgrapes.com/Corks_Corkers-9_x_1_3_4_Supreme_Corq_Synthetic_30_count.html

I can't seem to find the Corq X2's...

Will keep looking though...


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## Erica

cpfan said:


> A buck a cork plus shipping to Canada. I'm guessing that the OP isn't interested, and neither am I.
> 
> Steve



The more you buy the cheaper they get. You do get what you pay for. last time I used cheap corks I lost my batch of wine after 6 months. If you make alot of wine like me and don't have the time to drink it all, you want something that will keep that wine long.


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## barryjo

Here is another suggestion for a degassing tool. In the paint section of your local hardware store, look for a stirrer that mounts in a drill. There are several sizes. A reversing drill is best but any electric drill would work. With the stirrer near the bottom of the fermenter, run the stirrer at about 1/3 speed. You don't want to get air in the wine. (Except for Skeeter Pee!). Several minutes should be sufficient. Continue until the foaming stops. Assuming a plastic fermenter, try not to rub the sides with the stirrer. You could scratch the plastic and that would not be good.
I never did have much success with the paddle/spoon method.


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