Corks?

[Applewineguy]

Nomacorc and its distributor publish confusing and outdated information, making it hard to figure out which is which. After a lot of digging, it appears the Classic Green line is the Select 900, which is good for 5 years. The Smart Green line is lower end, good for 3 years.

I ordered some noma 300s and got them today but not sure they are 300s. Everywhere I look online states they should have customized printing on them from nomacorc their brand name basically. Mine are plain corks and when ran through the floor corker, it just absolutely mashes the top of them and puts a massive dent in them.

 

[winemaker81]

I ordered some noma 300s and got them today but not sure they are 300s. Everywhere I look online states they should have customized printing on them from nomacorc their brand name basically. Mine are plain corks and when ran through the floor corker, it just absolutely mashes the top of them and puts a massive dent in them.

Dang! That sort of supports my comment about Nomacorc being confusing. Makes me wonder what we're all getting.

 

[Applewineguy]

Dang! That sort of supports my comment about Nomacorc being confusing. Makes me wonder what we're all getting.

I asked the vendor 3 or more times and he said 300 was what was labeled on his package. However I've been mailed a freezer bag with 100 corks and no information on the label. Just a price and their website. I'm frankly getting really annoyed with corks these days. I used to have a shop here that knew what they had and good pricing but they closed out years ago. I'm hesitant to go to cork again because of all the different grades and the last time I used cork, I lost an entire batch because they failed and were absolute trash.

 

[winemaker81]

I asked the vendor 3 or more times and he said 300 was what was labeled on his package. However I've been mailed a freezer bag with 100 corks and no information on the label. Just a price and their website. I'm frankly getting really annoyed with corks these days. I used to have a shop here that knew what they had and good pricing but they closed out years ago. I'm hesitant to go to cork again because of all the different grades and the last time I used cork, I lost an entire batch because they failed and were absolute trash.

Time to have another discussion with the vendor?

I've been buying the Select 900 for 5 years and have no problems so far.

In my case my storage conditions are less than stellar, so a lot of natural corks developed mold on the outside. Nothing fatal, just unsightly and irritating. The Nomacorcs solved that problem.

 

[Applewineguy]

Time to have another discussion with the vendor?

I've been buying the Select 900 for 5 years and have no problems so far.

In my case my storage conditions are less than stellar, so a lot of natural corks developed mold on the outside. Nothing fatal, just unsightly and irritating. The Nomacorcs solved that problem.

Are your nomacorcs plain or do they have company writing on them?

 

[Applewineguy]

Time to have another discussion with the vendor?

I've been buying the Select 900 for 5 years and have no problems so far.

In my case my storage conditions are less than stellar, so a lot of natural corks developed mold on the outside. Nothing fatal, just unsightly and irritating. The Nomacorcs solved that problem.

Here is how bad my nomacorcs are indenting. Seems a bit much imo?

 

[bstnh1]

Here is how bad my nomacorcs are indenting. Seems a bit much imo?

I've been using the 900s for a couple years with a Portuguese floor corker and have never had denting like that. The Nomacorcs from LD Carlson don't say what they are other then Nomacorc and the size. No number designation. On the website, LabelPeelers says they're good for 2 years in the 100 bag description and 10 years in the 1000 bag description. Confusing at best.

 

[winemaker81]

Are your nomacorcs plain or do they have company writing on them?

The bag of 1,000 I purchased is from Vinventions, the Nomacorc distributor and the bag says Select Green 900. These are 1-3/4" and are plain, no writing.

All the ones I've purchased in the past are 1-1/2" and have a grape bunch printed on opposite sides of the cork.

Here is how bad my nomacorcs are indenting. Seems a bit much imo?

I get a small indent that disappears other than a small mark after a few days. I have the blue Italian corker.

My niece purchased 30 count bags from a LHBS (Syracuse NY area) and a few corks produced really big dents with a double-lever corker. She later purchased the red Portuguese and has no problems now.

I've been using the 900s for a couple years with a Portuguese floor corker and have never had denting like that. The Nomacorcs from LD Carlson don't say what they are other then Nomacorc and the size. No number designation. On the website, LabelPeelers says they're good for 2 years in the 100 bag description and 10 years in the 1000 bag description. Confusing at best.

I downloaded the PDF spec sheets, which hadn't been updated in a few years. It wasn't clear and took a fair amount of hunting to discover that Vinventions distributes Nomacorc.

IMO the identification problem has numerous sources -- one is that Nomacorc makes numerous lines of corks. The second is that they don't keep their public documentation up to date, and if they do update it, not all locations for those documents are replaced with new spec sheets. A third is that LHBS are not paying attention to what they are buying and selling, as it's complicated.

On top of that, Nomacorc is a big producer for commercial wineries. I doubt that home winemakers are even on their radar, so they pay no attention to us.

Buying a 1,000 count bag worked fine for me, as I'll use it up in a couple of years. But for folks who make a few carboys a year, buying a bag like this is insane. I supposed all we can do is identify the LHBS who are paying attention and point our members to them.

 

[Applewineguy]

I've been using the 900s for a couple years with a Portuguese floor corker and have never had denting like that. The Nomacorcs from LD Carlson don't say what they are other then Nomacorc and the size. No number designation. On the website, LabelPeelers says they're good for 2 years in the 100 bag description and 10 years in the 1000 bag description. Confusing at best.

Where are you buying them? Mine is an Italian floor corker. Portuguese is too small for how many bottles I can end up doing in a year lol.

 

[bstnh1]

Where are you buying them? Mine is an Italian floor corker. Portuguese is too small for how many bottles I can end up doing in a year lol.

I buy mine at Label Peelers.

 

[Applewineguy]

I buy mine at Label Peelers.

Lol those are #9s and while they say the cork is good for 10 years, it's actually not. It's amazing how insanely misinformed these distributors are. Blows my mind.

 

[Cap Puncher]

I ordered some noma 300s and got them today but not sure they are 300s. Everywhere I look online states they should have customized printing on them from nomacorc their brand name basically. Mine are plain corks and when ran through the floor corker, it just absolutely mashes the top of them and puts a massive dent in them.

I have used the select green 300s, they have no markings on them. The top from your picture look correct with the slight groves on both ends. Also select 300s are not supposed to go through a floor corker. They are supposed to go through a pneumatic corker. However, I use this priming technique with a floor corker and it works well. You prime the cork 5-7 times, meaning lightly squeezing the cork in the floor corker jaws, releasing, and then giving it a quarter turn. Repeat the process 5-7 times. It will prevent pinching/scoring the cork which will create leakers. Not sure if it will help your indent problem at the top. I do not get that with my floor corker. Technically only the 900s are made to go through a floor corker. However, I have done the select 100s and Reserva with great success with the priming technique I described.

Lastly, @Applewineguy where did you get the 300s for $20?

 

[bstnh1]

Lol those are #9s and while they say the cork is good for 10 years, it's actually not. It's amazing how insanely misinformed these distributors are. Blows my mind.

They're 900s which is what I said they were.

 

[Applewineguy]

I have used the select green 300s, they have no markings on them. The top from your picture look correct with the slight groves on both ends. Also select 300s are not supposed to go through a floor corker. They are supposed to go through a pneumatic corker. However, I use this priming technique with a floor corker and it works well. You prime the cork 5-7 times, meaning lightly squeezing the cork in the floor corker jaws, releasing, and then giving it a quarter turn. Repeat the process 5-7 times. It will prevent pinching/scoring the cork which will create leakers. Not sure if it will help your indent problem at the top. I do not get that with my floor corker. Technically only the 900s are made to go through a floor corker. However, I have done the select 100s and Reserva with great success with the priming technique I described.

Lastly, @Applewineguy where did you get the 300s for $20?

Found out these are 950s and the company I ordered from royally screwed up.
I've never once ever found any sort of documentation or information that supports your statement of them being designed for a pneumatic corker. Everywhere including the manufacturer states floor corker are to be used. Also never once had a cork pinch or score etc. Just a heavy dent on the top which over course of a few days does slowly lesson. I'm not sure who told you they are only meant for a pneumatic corker but that just isn't correct.

 

[winemaker81]

Found out these are 950s and the company I ordered from royally screwed up.
I've never once ever found any sort of documentation or information that supports your statement of them being designed for a pneumatic corker. Everywhere including the manufacturer states floor corker are to be used. Also never once had a cork pinch or score etc. Just a heavy dent on the top which over course of a few days does slowly lesson. I'm not sure who told you they are only meant for a pneumatic corker but that just isn't correct.

A lot of folks have reported heavy scoring of Nomacorcs when using the Portuguese corker. I get light scoring with the Italian, but have had only a few Nomacorc leak in over 1,000 bottles.

 

[Hazelemere]

So its been 10 years since I've made wine but here I am again and things have changed. I used to use 10 year synthetic corks but now not sure what is the norm. I remember trying regular cork and it was awful, I lost a whole batch from the corks going bad. I would like to go synthetic again I think but much of what I am reading now is suggesting a grade 1 cork or something of the sort. I use an Italian floor corker and wondering what everyone is using for corks these days. Being in Canada has made things a touch difficult. Look forward to hearing from you all!

Nomacorc in a fairly dry bottle neck is all that I use

 

[Cap Puncher]

Found out these are 950s and the company I ordered from royally screwed up.
I've never once ever found any sort of documentation or information that supports your statement of them being designed for a pneumatic corker. Everywhere including the manufacturer states floor corker are to be used. Also never once had a cork pinch or score etc. Just a heavy dent on the top which over course of a few days does slowly lesson. I'm not sure who told you they are only meant for a pneumatic corker but that just isn't correct.

Maybe something has changed, but I did a deep dive in 2017 in finding a good supply a better higher grade Nomacorcs. Vinventions was a main supplier of bulk Nomacorc for custom printing. Their rep said only select 900s were designed to be used in a floor corker. They used to have documentation on their website when selecting for corks too. Also, It would ask what type or corker you had, and wouldn’t give you options of the Nomacorc Select 500 and below including the Reserva line. I have an Italian style floor corker with the plastic jaws. Mine had scored the thicker and denser corks (select100 and Reserva) select 300s could be hit or miss too.

I’m not saying not to use them with a floor corker, I do and I love them. I’m just trying to help with a solution for those having issues. Buy some Reservas and see if you can get them in with just a strait pull down without damaging them, I bet you cannot. That’s why I tried the priming and rotating technique, which works great.

 

[Shurt1073]

My purchase from Carolina Wine Supply last week. They are longer than my Normacorc 900's ..... My next bottling will be end of March so stay tuned!

 

[Shurt1073]

My only question is what is written on the middle of the package Best Use Within 1 Year of Production Date?

 

[Applewineguy]

View attachment 109287


My purchase from Carolina Wine Supply last week. They are longer than my Normacorc 900's ..... My next bottling will be end of March so stay tuned!

Care to sell me 500 and ship to Canada?