A couple of weeks ago, I bottled my first batch of wine. It is a Chardonnay. The instructions call for storing the bottles on their side but this is an awkward way to store them and it takes up a lot of floor space. How important is this?
Not much of a wine guy but I thought it was to keep the cork wet. Otherwise it would dry out and crumble when you go to open it. Not sure if it’s true but it sounds good, doesn’t it?
My understanding also if they are all natural corks.
I don’t believe this applies to composite and artificial stoppers.
I use composite and store upright. Some are several years old and have never noticed a problem.
I use Grolsch bottles. No corks. I can store them upright. I get three glasses/bottle. That’s two for me and one for the wife. It keeps her happy & doesn’t let her get mean. :
If you are having to buy bottles the screw tops are always and option.
I know there are two camps on the cork vs screw top argument but if you look around there have been some test and I don’t think there is any difference in short term (less than 5 year) storage.
You are probably like me though, just reuse what some else gives you.
I only get 2 or 3 glasses out of a regular bottle, Grolsch is single serving size.
I don’t think about laying down, or standing up and I haven’t had a bottle go bad on me either way, my basement has humidity and is always in the mid sixties so maybe that has something to do with it. I recently bought a rack so everything will be laid down - even screwtops.
-OCD
For natural corks you should store them on their sides, you don’t want the bottom of the cork to dry out.
For artificial corks (the rubbery type) you should store them upright. These corks I find have a tendancy to leak if stored on their sides.
I just keep my wine in cases, stored upright. I have a couple cases that are 2+ years old, no problems with corks drying out.
It sounds like I might have some time then. I figure that in a year they will be all consumed so we’ll see about storing them on their sides. Thanks for all of the responses.
If it becomes a regular thing you ferment then you could always build a winerack.
what about inverting cork in the cases?
For the first three days the bottles should be stored upright to set the cork, then inverted on their side to keep the cork wet and prevent excessive oxidation.
Duhhhhoooo!
I just bottled my first batch of wine (9 cases) on Sunday. I put them all (except the screw-tops) on their sides. ???
You’re only doing that in case the compressed air pushes the cork back out of the bottle. There’s no other magic going on as far as I know of. So, keep an eye on your bottles and make sure the corks are not creeping out - otherwise you may get leaks.
-OCD
Zombie alert! Arise old thread! I command you!
Good info here.
Anyway, is there anything wrong with using beer bottles and crown caps instead of wine bottles and corks? I’d much rather open up 12 oz of wine than a 750ml.
Its Alive!!! Its Alive!!!
I bottle wine in beer bottles with crown caps all the time, especially the ones I give away. I have also used the 16oz swing tops. No issues so far. It is a good serving size.
Wine closed with natural cork or composite cork (think particle board-like cork) are packed in wine cases upside down to keep the cork wet. The bottles should be stored on their sides or upside down in the cases for the same reason. Synthetic cork or screw cap closed wine bottles should be stored right sight up.
FWIW. Champagne bottles can be closed with a crown cap just like beer bottles.
This is sage advice. Storing the bottles upside down or on their side to keep the cork wet will prolong the life of the wine and/or beer.
This is good to know.
depending on the source of said champagne bottles you will need different crown caps though. American bottles take the standard crown cap but european bottles take a slightly larger size crown cap. In fact the crown cap is required to make the shampagne in the traditional way as the wine is carbonated in the bottle, swirled then placed upside down in some very cold liquid to allow the top inch or so of yeast slurry to settle and freeze into a plug which, when the crown cap is removed, is forced out by the carbonation and then the normal champagne stopper it put in.