Cork bleeding

[cavino]

This bottle is about 2 years old. Is this bleeding normal or could the wine be okay?

 

[cmason1957]

That's fairly normal with the Agglomerated (and I probably misspelled that) type of cork. Basically, that's pieces of cork glued together. There are spaces in there that allow the wine to seep into them.

This can get even worse, if you soak your corks (and no we don't need the YouTube video). I had some where drops of wine seeped all the way out the top. The wine is fine, just drink up, don't plan on aging much more than a year or so.

 

[WinoDave]

That's fairly normal with the Agglomerated (and I probably misspelled that) type of cork. Basically, that's pieces of cork glued together. There are spaces in there that allow the wine to seep into them.

This can get even worse, if you soak your corks (and no we don't need the YouTube video). I had some where drops of wine seeped all the way out the top. The wine is fine, just drink up, don't plan on aging much more than a year or so.

Can you pull the old cork and Replace with a New Cork or will that oxidize the wine?

 

[cmason1957]

Can you pull the old cork and Replace with a New Cork or will that oxidize the wine?

Wine doesn't oxidize due to exposure in the order of minutes, more like hours. You certainly can. It's it worth it? Depends on how soon you think you will be drinking this wine. If you plan to replace it with another agglomerated cork, I wouldn't.

 

[WinoDave]

Wine doesn't oxidize due to exposure in the order of minutes, more like hours. You certainly can. It's it worth it? Depends on how soon you think you will be drinking this wine. If you plan to replace it with another agglomerated cork, I wouldn't.

I have about 20-30 bottles of red wines I made 2-3 years ago and the wine is about 50% up the cork. I use synthetic rubber corks now, so I was going to re-cork with those. Guessing I should do that soon.

 

[winemaker81]

Can you pull the old cork and Replace with a New Cork or will that oxidize the wine?

Chateau Lafite Rothschild sends a team around the world every 10 years or so. They recork their wines over a certain age, testing the wine to ensure they're good and providing a certificate of authenticity. I agree with Craig -- you will suffer no problems by pulling a cork and immediately re-corking. If Chateau Lafite Rothschild can do it safely, so can you.

Note -- I've had 2-3 yo commercial wines with stains 1/3" up the cork. You're ok for now, but I agree with Craig, depending on how fast you expect to use the wine, it may be worth recorking.

I buy Nomacorc 900 Select 1.5" corks. They are guaranteed for 5 years, and I figure the vendor under-rates by 2 years for liability reasons, so I figure I'll get 7 years out of them. Any wine left from a batch 7 years after bottling will be recorked.

Nomacorcs cost more, but they solve a mold problem -- humidity in my cellar is FAR from ideal and I get mold on the outside of corks. Plus I can stand bottles up as long as desired. [Habit forces me to lay them on their sides.] YMMV

 

[WinoDave]

Chateau Lafite Rothschild sends a team around the world every 10 years or so. They recork their wines over a certain age, testing the wine to ensure they're good and providing a certificate of authenticity. I agree with Craig -- you will suffer no problems by pulling a cork and immediately re-corking. If Chateau Lafite Rothschild can do it safely, so can you.

Note -- I've had 2-3 yo commercial wines with stains 1/3" up the cork. You're ok for now, but I agree with Craig, depending on how fast you expect to use the wine, it may be worth recorking.

I buy Nomacorc 900 Select 1.5" corks. They are guaranteed for 5 years, and I figure the vendor under-rates by 2 years for liability reasons, so I figure I'll get 7 years out of them. Any wine left from a batch 7 years after bottling will be recorked.

Nomacorcs cost more, but they solve a mold problem -- humidity in my cellar is FAR from ideal and I get mold on the outside of corks. Plus I can stand bottles up as long as desired. [Habit forces me to lay them on their sides.] YMMV

Thank you for the input, I started making wine 3-4 years ago and when I started I just bought the cheap corks not knowing there was a difference. I use the Nomacorks now for the reasons you stated, bottles can stand up and they last 5+ years.

 

[BigDaveK]

I find this interesting!
I've been thinking about corks lately. I read things about floor corkers putting a groove (or something) in the nomacorc causing leaks. True? Has anyone had any problems? Sounds like everyone loves them.

 

[winemaker81]

I've been thinking about corks lately. I read things about floor corkers putting a groove (or something) in the nomacorc causing leaks. True? Has anyone had any problems? Sounds like everyone loves them.

I have an Italian corker, brass jaws. It does put a light scoring on the cork, but in 6 or 7 hundred bottles, I've had 2 leak. Portuguese corkers, with plastic jaws, seem to be the culprit.

 

[WinoDave]

I find this interesting!
I've been thinking about corks lately. I read things about floor corkers putting a groove (or something) in the nomacorc causing leaks. True? Has anyone had any problems? Sounds like everyone loves them.

I use a floor corker and never had any leaks, guessing I’ve done 500+ bottles over the years. Occasionally I do get that crease in the cork but never had any leaks. Makes me wonder if it the bottle itself, not the corker, maybe the opening or neck of the wine bottle is too small or something

 

[BigDaveK]

I have an Italian corker, brass jaws. It does put a light scoring on the cork, but in 6 or 7 hundred bottles, I've had 2 leak. Portuguese corkers, with plastic jaws, seem to be the culprit.

Thanks Bryan! I've got a couple in bulk that are supposed to be really good a couple years down the line and that's why I was thinking. I just ordered a bag at a good price (Chinese? Hope not!) and I'll have to test them. Just my luck - my floor corker starts with Portu and ends with guese.

 

[Brant]

Just when you think things are good- now I'm questioning my corker! Thanks, Bryan.

 

[Sailor323]

Can you pull the old cork and Replace with a New Cork or will that oxidize the wine?

This is routinely done by wineries with very old grand cru Bordeaux. Old corks become brittle so the wineries recork

 

[Sailor323]

Wine doesn't oxidize due to exposure in the order of minutes, more like hours. You certainly can. It's it worth it? Depends on how soon you think you will be drinking this wine. If you plan to replace it with another agglomerated cork, I wouldn't.

True, if a wine would oxidize that quicky it would be ruined by the time you finished drinking a glass of wine.

 

[TurkeyHollow]

My policy on re-corking is to drink the wine in its entirety then wash, sanitize and refill with new wine before re-corking. So far, this policy has served me well and oxidation has been kept to a minimum.