Bottling problem

Even with the best quality corks you will get some occasional failures. Especially if you are using synthetic corks (the nomacorc plastic ones for example) and if you use one of the older floor corkers, they will occasionally wrinkle the cork and and the bottles will leak a bit.

If it hasn't been too long since you corked it you can re-cork that bottle with a new cork, but it will age faster than the others (due to more O2 exposure) and you will probably want to drink that one relatively soon.

thats funny--i was under the impression that synthetic corks were advantageous.

There isn't enough data available on synthetic corks to make a call at this point. The articles and research I've read has indicated that 2 years is the time limit on those corks until the alcohol begins to break down the materials and impart flavors.

Cheers,

Oskaar

2 years on the natural corks or the synthetics? I'm not clear on your choice here. ???

Whoops, that would be the synthetic (Nomacork, etc.) corks that I read up on. Granted that was about a year ago or so, but I do know that the EtOH will act on the polymers over time. I know that many wineries are moving to synthetic corks now as there have been improvements in quality, and the pricing structure is more attractive. I'll have to check it out and refreshNatural corks come with their own bugaboo's as well (TCA, variable quality, etc.) When I use regular natural corks I spend the cash to get the best I can find. I stay away from the composite and agglomerated types and go for the solid high quality corks. I know that the EU has financed a huge cork tree re-planting program totaling over 85,000 hectares and some 25,000,000 trees to keep natural cork in the game. My main concern is long term storage under polymer. Damn, more reading! LOL

Cheers,

Oskaar