reusing bottles from corked wine

[Noontime]

Is cleaning and kmeta 100% effective in killing organisms that cause cork taint? We got a bad batch of corks and have quite a few wines that were corked; can these bottles be re-used, or should we just toss them to be safe?

 

[balatonwine]

I have only had one bottle with corked wine (not mine -- purchased), and I reused the bottle after a normal sanitized cleaning. No problem. But this is obviously only a sample size of one, which may not mean much.....

But if you want, I guess one can also do a more complete sterilization by boiling them, much like "canners" do with jars. Would need a rather large kettle, however.

 

[dralarms]

I use “recycled” bottles all the time. From other sources you don’t know the condition. I wash with one step or easy clean, store upside down until ready to sanitize, then I use the allinonewinepump.com bottle cleaner with 1 tbls of kmeta and 1 tbls of citric acid, then I leave just a bit (about 1/2 inch) in the bottle and cap with a synthetic t-cork until ready to use. Then I drain and go when needed to bottle

 

[Johny99]

I’m just chicken enough I’d toss them. I’d be fearful of a bug getting lose in my winery. Now if you clean and sanitize elsewhere maybe, but a case of bottles is only $12 bucks or so.....just my fears taking over. Those black helicopters are hovering overhead again too!