Bottling Red Wine

Bottles can be sealed with either corks or screw caps.  Corks require special tools to insert and run the risk of causing cork taint in the wine, but they are traditional and pleasing to the eye.  Plastic top corks that can be inserted and removed by hand are also available.  Reusable screw caps can make a good seal and are easy to use, but give the connotation of cheap wine to some people.  If corks are used, the bottles should be kept upright for a couple of days to allow the release of pressure from the headspace of the bottle (caused by inserting the cork), the bottles should then be placed on their sides.  If used bottles are to be refilled, they should be cleaned to remove any visible material and then soaked in 180°F hot water for 20 minutes.  The key to reusing bottles is to immediately clean them after their use so no material dries on their inner surfaces.