Wine Bottle Selection

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you have the right kind of bottle. A standard wine bottle has a neck opening of 18.5 mm. This will accommodate a standard No.9 cork. There are bottles with different neck sizes and you may encounter some as used bottles. In particular, the flagon shaped bottles from Portugal (Mates) have a much smaller neck opening requiring a No.8 cork.

The second step is to make sure your bottles are clean and sanitary, which are two different things. To sanitize, rinse them with Easy Clean just before bottling. This will prevent the growth of any spoilage organisms in the bottle. The best way to prepare bottles is with a bottle tree and a spray pump. Used together, they turn a tedious job into a five-minute breeze. For more information on cleaning and sanitizing for the home winemaker, see cleaning and sanitizing.

Filling the bottles comes next. A sanitized siphon hose and racking cane are necessary, and a bottle filler is an excellent tool for getting the fill levels right. Consisting of a rigid tube and a one-way valve, it allows carefully controlled filling. It also helps prevent excessive splashing and agitation of the wine, which can lead to oxidation.

Bottles should be filled so that the wine is about one inch away from the bottom of the cork. This is important: you don't want to leave a lot of ullage (airspace) in the bottles, but you have to leave enough room under the cork for the compressed air to sit.

Compressed air? Think of the neck of the bottle as a cylinder. The cork acts like a piston, pushing whatever air is underneath it into the bottle compressing it down. If there isn't enough room for the air, the cork could pop right back out, refusing to stay put in the bottle. The care and attention you take when filling your bottles will go a long way to keeping your wine fresh and unspoiled.

24 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 7-1/2 inches tall by 2 inches wide. Capacity: 6.35 ounces.

The 187 ml Champagne Split use a No. 7 Straight Cork, Plastic Taster Cork or a Crown Bottle Cap. This bottle can be closed with a No. 7 Straight Cork, a Crown Beer Cap or a Taster Cork.

12 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 14 inches tall by 2 inches in diameter. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

These tall slim wine bottles hold 12.7 ounces or just two glasses of wine. They are perfect for ice wines, cordials, vinegars and oils when you match them with a quality Taster Cork. Order the No. 8 Straight Cork for all types of wine.

12 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 14 inches tall by 2 inches in diameter. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

24 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 10 inches tall by 2-1/4 inches wide. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

Blue Hock wine bottles have a long tapered neck and straight cork finish. Hock bottles make a great gift package for any homemade wine! Fill with your homemade cordial or mead. Use a #8 straight cork or a taster cork for easy pouring!

24 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 12 inches tall by 2-1/4 inches wide. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

These bottles are suited for wine, mead and vinegar. Use a #8 straight cork or taster cork.

24 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 9-1/2 inches tall by 2-1/4 inches wide. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

Wine splits are one half the size of the standard 5th (750 ml) bottle. They hold two full glasses of wine. These are the perfect size to bottle gifts, party favors and strong or fortified wines. You should use a No. 8 Straight Cork when using this bottle for wine. Craft projects may use a No. 9 Tapered Cork or a Taster Cork.

24 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 10-3/4 inches tall by 2-1/4 inches wide. Capacity: 12.7 ounces.

Frosted Hock wine bottles have a long tapered neck and straight cork finish. Frosted Hock bottles make a great gift package for special occasions like weddings or anniversary for your homemade wine, cordial mead, etc. Uses a #8 straight cork (need a corker) or a taster cork for easy pouring!

12 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 11-1/2 inches tall by 3 inches in diameter. Capacity: 25.4 ounces.

Bordeaux wine bottles are of excellent quality and accommodate #8 or #9 straight cork. Great for any type of wine!

12 bottles per case

New Environmentally Friendly Glass Bottles! Dimensions: 11-1/2 inches tall by 3 inches in diameter. Capacity: 25.4 ounces.

These NEW Optima bottles are one of the most environmentally-friendly glass wine bottles on the market and provide significant energy savings without compromising the premium look and image of your wine packaging. Advanced lightweight glass technology delivers outstanding performance with less materials. Glass is the only material that is infinitely recyclable, which can help reduce landfill overload. Glass is the only packaging material that will never alter the purity and flavor of your product. Glass is the only packaging made from 100% natural resources that can be recycled back into a food or beverage container.

12 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 12-1/2" tall by 3" in diameter. Capacity: 25.4 ounces.

Amber Hock wine bottles have a long tapered neck and straight cork finish. Hock bottles were traditionally used for white wines but make a great gift package for any homemade wine. Fill with your homemade cordial or mead and seal with a taster cork for easy serving!

12 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 12-1/2 inches tall by 3 inches in diameter. Capacity: 25.4 ounces.

Blue Hock wine bottles have a long tapered neck and straight cork finish. Hock bottles were traditionally used for white wines but makes a great gift package for any homemade wine! Fill with your homemade cordial or mead. Seal with a #8 straight cork or a taster cork for easy pouring!

6 bottles per case - corks sold separately

Dimensions: 13 inches tall by 4 inches in diameter. Capacity: 50.7 ounces.

Extra large wine bottle is of excellent quality. Holds the equivalent of two standard bottles of wine and uses #8 or #9 straight corks.

Double Bottle Wine Shipper $5.35
Your 750 ml wine bottles are cradled in break proof comfort as they are whisked away to friends and family in exotic places. These foam wine cases come complete with heavy duty shipping boxes.

Protective Wine Shippers Protective Wine Shippers

Your 750 ml wine bottles are cradled in break proof comfort as they are whisked away to friends and family in exotic places. These foam wine cases come complete with heavy duty shipping boxes.

Wine-On-Tap $24.95
Bags for Wine-On-Tap 3 pk. $12.95
Bag-in a-box is now available to home wine makers. This is the perfect solution for those who want to take wine to a gathering but dont want the hassle of carting around bottles. Plastic dispenser holds up to nine bottles or 2.8 gallons of wine. The pre-sanitized bags will keep wine fresh for years.