PLEASE PLEASE tell me it isn't this hard to cork wine

[BillTheSlink]

Tonight I had an Australian Shiraz that had some type of synthetic, almost self-healing, cork in it. I never had anything but twist off wines before and I tried to reinsert the cork by hand. It laughed at me. No dice. I tried pounding it in with a hammer. Nope it didn't budge. I got out my Gilda hand corker thinking "Ha! I have just the tool." The iris never locked down like in the Mid-West video and it was taking everything I had and I turned the bottle over one the floor before I got it in. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me that putting in a natural winery grade #9 cork isn't this hard. My back would never hold up to 30 bottles from my kit.

 

[Wade E]

When you say winery grade do you mean 2" long corks? Those might be pretty hard to do with your hand corker. Id suggest #8 x 1.5 or 1.75 for that corker. Youll really struggle and probably break a hand corker trying to get synthetic corks in though as youve discovered, I dont even recommend those for some floor corkers!

 

[Green Mountains]

From all I've heard synthetics are much harder to cork with unless you have the right tool. #9 Corks made from....cork aren't all that difficult though a hand corker is THE hardest way to do it.

 

[Tom]

Solved!!
Get a floor corker with a brass iris and you can use any kind of corks.

 

[BillTheSlink]

When you say winery grade do you mean 2" long corks? Those might be pretty hard to do with your hand corker. Id suggest #8 x 1.5 or 1.75 for that corker. Youll really struggle and probably break a hand corker trying to get synthetic corks in though as youve discovered, I dont even recommend those for some floor corkers!

No they're 1.75. They are just good corkers. I got a hundred of them.

 

[BillTheSlink]

Solved!!
Get a floor corker with a brass iris and you can use any kind of corks.

Yeah, and I would be instant dead meat if I spent that much money and space on one. I am afraid it is out of the question, though I love the idea.

 

[Dugger]

From all I've heard synthetics are much harder to cork with unless you have the right tool. #9 Corks made from....cork aren't all that difficult though a hand corker is THE hardest way to do it.

I've been using synthetics for a few years and actually find they insert more easily than agglomerated corks - haven't used naturals so can't comment on them. I use a Portuguese floor corker ( and don't have a problem with creasing).

 

[Wade E]

It might just be certain corks or an older version of the corker.

 

[Runningwolf]

I've been using synthetics for a few years and actually find they insert more easily than agglomerated corks - haven't used naturals so can't comment on them. I use a Portuguese floor corker ( and don't have a problem with creasing).

Same here. I think its the older models that caused the crease. You can determine which you have. The newer model has two stainless screws on top of it and the older models had three.

 

[rawlus]

ive never had to recork an opened bottle. i just finish it.

 

[Sacalait]

For recorking an already opened bottle without fighting with the original cork get the silicon ready made corks at your wine making accessory supplier. They are cheap and reusable.

 

[Wade E]

They are called tasters corks.

 

[gawine]

So you opened a bottle of store bought wine and hoped to just re-insert the cork? won't work with real or synthetic. toss the cork. there are rubber stoppers you can use and withdraw the oxygen. drink the bottle in 2,3 days though or it goes to vinegar.

as far as bottling your own wine, i did it for the first time recently and found it very easy. i have the basic hand corker and was amazed the corks went in right away, no problem. doubt i'll bother buying a floor corker for $100 when this hand corker does the job.

 

[BillTheSlink]

So you opened a bottle of store bought wine and hoped to just re-insert the cork? won't work with real or synthetic. toss the cork. there are rubber stoppers you can use and withdraw the oxygen. drink the bottle in 2,3 days though or it goes to vinegar.

as far as bottling your own wine, i did it for the first time recently and found it very easy. i have the basic hand corker and was amazed the corks went in right away, no problem. doubt i'll bother buying a floor corker for $100 when this hand corker does the job.

Thanks for the info. I will try the stoppers, but I should get more life out of an open bottle than a day or two. I have a can of inert gas you give a couple of short squirts of into the bottle and it claims to keep it fresh for up to months. I really bought it so I wouldn't have to top up my carboys. It's a little trick I picked up from the Midwest video.

 

[BillTheSlink]

ive never had to recork an opened bottle. i just finish it.

Umm well, it's just me who drinks it and for some reason, unlike a beer buzz where I turn into a jolly good fellow, grape mine buzz makes me sorta angry and unfriendly. For that reason I follow the Italian saying of no wine without food, and I never drink more than a glass and a half (although they're hefty) to get a little warmth. I mustn't end up beating up Grandma just because she's a royal pain as usual, make that royal pain 24/7.