Corks: Dry Insertion

No More Soaking
For years, bottlers have been told to soak corks before insertion. This has changed as of now: We now recommend inserting corks dry, without soaking.

This change is the result of improvements in cork quality, and a better understanding of the way spoilage organisms and bacteria work on the surface of a cork.

Natural Corks

• made from pure cork bark, which has pits and channels in it
• soaking activates spoilage organisms on the cork or in the channels and pits
• these organisms could affect the wine (i.e. cause wine spoilage, cause off-flavours and aromas)
• sulphiting a cork has a similar effect: sulphite releases sulphur dioxide gas, which inhibits microorganisms, but after the sulphur dioxide gas dissipates, the remaining liquid can activate bacteria and carry it out of the cork

Processed Corks

• engineered corks (Altec) and manufactured corks (agglomerate) are coated with an inert silicone compound, which produces a smooth surface and renders the corks waterproof
• liquid will bead on the silicone surface and then run off when the cork is put into a bottle
• liquid can pool inside the corker, causing corrosion0
• worse, liquid can drip into the wine bottles, carrying dust and bacteria from inside the corker

The Benefits of Dry Insertion

• the moisture content of Wine Cave corks is ideal: they are pliable enough to go into the bottle and require no further treatment to soften them
• inserting corks dry prevents liquid from pooling inside the corker
• our corks are originally packaged with a residual dose of sulphur dioxide gas, which prevents bacteria or other organisms from contaminating the corks before they reach your wine

Storage Recommendations
Once a bag of corks has been opened, we recommend the following storage method:

• put an open bottle of sulphite solution in a large pail
• pour your corks in around the bottle and close the pail tightly
• corks stored this way will remain sanitary and keep their moisture content
• change the sulphite in the bottle every two weeks to ensure freshness

NOTE: These are ideal storage conditions for all Wine Cave corks. However, if customers use their corks within one month of opening the bag, the corks will remain in acceptable condition if the bag is rolled up tightly and stored in a clean, dry place.