# New Bottles Bottling Question



## ibglowin (Nov 24, 2011)

I have 8 gallons of the most fabulous La Bodega Port that has been in bulk aging for 1 year this week and its time to bottle this bad boy before I get a large straw and .......................

I purchased all new bottles for this (~80 splits). 

So what would the consensus be for pretreatment before bottling?

Sulfite rinse, bottle.

or

Bottle blast each one with water, sulfite rinse, bottle.


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## djrockinsteve (Nov 24, 2011)

All by bottles are soaked in sulfite water. Bottle brush scrubbed and hung on a bottle tree. Shortly later I bottle.


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## cpfan (Nov 24, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Bottle blast each one with water, sulfite rinse, bottle.


There's my vote.

Steve


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## Flem (Nov 24, 2011)

Definitely clean them first. There's a lot of oil mist in a glass manufacturing plant. Then sulfite and drain them. You have too much time and money invested in this port to skip this "simple" step.


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## grapeman (Nov 24, 2011)

I use this


 with the bottles in this



to wash the bottles. Then sulfite and put on tree to drain.


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## AlFulchino (Nov 24, 2011)

sounds like McGyver time for you Mike  or maybe Rick!


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## rhoffart (Nov 24, 2011)

Spray with water hose, seven pumps from the sulfite spray bottle and dry on the tree. Of course I'm in the garage


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## rhoffart (Nov 24, 2011)

AlFulchino said:


> sounds like McGyver time for you Mike  or maybe Rick!



Funny ... not this time


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## ibglowin (Nov 24, 2011)

Where is McGruber when I need him! 

OK you guys are going to make me wash 80 effing bottles...... 

But your right, this is by far the most expensive kit wine I have ever made when you include the 2 kits, 6 bottles of brandy (sorry, no grain alcohol for this winemaker) plus 80 splits (30 Ice Wine, 50 regular).

This stuff is amazing. The wine before fortifying was amazing. 

This will be xmas presents for a select few!


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## Julie (Nov 24, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> OK you guys are going to make me wash 80 effing bottles......



And would you have taken any other advice?


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## ibglowin (Nov 24, 2011)

Only you guys could make we wash 80 new bottles!


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## Runningwolf (Nov 24, 2011)

Wineries do not wash new bottles. They do give them a blast with co2 to blow out any cardboard dust though and some sparge with nitrogen.

Myself, I give them a quick sulfite rinse and hang on tree.


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