Which cork stopper to choose?
Natural cork stoppers have superior quality and are recommended for quality wines with geographical origin and wines that age in the bottle before consumption.
Other types of cork stoppers are recommended for table wines, i.e. those not intended to be stored for many years.
Which size to choose?
The size of the cork stopper is determined by analysing the following variables:
- Type of wine — for wines with stable pressure: length 45–49 mm, diameter 24 mm; for sparkling wines: diameter 25–26 mm.
- Bottle neck — stopper size must be adapted to the bottle neck.
- It is recommended that the stopper be 5 to 6 mm wider than the inner diameter of the bottle neck.
Bottling and capping recommendations
- The bottle neck should be relatively dry during the capping process.
- The wine level should be 15–20 mm below the stopper.
- The capping machine must not compress the stopper more than 1.5 mm relative to the inner diameter of the bottle neck.
- A cork stopper should never be compressed more than one third of its diameter.
- Maintenance of the capping machine is of crucial importance.
- The bottle should remain upright for at least 60 minutes after capping.
Handling and storage recommendations for stoppers
After packaging, stoppers must be stored in areas with a temperature of 10–25 °C and humidity of 50–70%.
Transport of wine in bottles: increased internal pressure due to temperature changes can lead to leakage or stopper ejection.
