Bottling day is the last step in making your wine. A little preparation makes it quick and clean. A standard 23 L wine kit fills about 30 bottles of 750 ml.
Is Your Wine Ready?
Only bottle when the wine is:
- Fully fermented (check the specific gravity with your hydrometer against your kit instructions)
- Crystal clear
- Properly degassed
- Racked off the sediment
If the wine is still cloudy, wait a few more days. Never bottle or filter cloudy wine.
Bottling Day Checklist
Bottles and Closures
- ☐ 30 wine bottles (750 ml), or a mix of 750 ml and 375 ml bottles. Shop bottles
- ☐ 30 corks to match your bottles. Shop corks
- ☐ A corker. A hand corker works for a few batches. A floor corker is easier if you bottle often. Shop corkers
Filling Equipment
- ☐ Siphon tubing and racking cane
- ☐ Bottle filler or siphon valve, to fill without splashing
- ☐ Optional: a vacuum bottle filler for faster filling. Shop bottling equipment
Cleaning
- ☐ Equipment cleaner, such as B-Brite 3 in 1 Cleaning Powder. Follow the label directions and rinse well.
- ☐ Bottle brush, bottle washer or bottle rinser
- ☐ Bottle drainer or drying rack
Finishing Touches (Optional)
- ☐ Shrink caps to cover the corks. Shop shrink caps
- ☐ A heat tool or shrink cap sealer to apply them
- ☐ Wine labels. Shop wine labels
How to Bottle Your Wine
- Clean and rinse every bottle and every piece of equipment that will touch the wine.
- Set the carboy up higher than the bottles, so the siphon can flow.
- Siphon the wine into each bottle. Fill gently to avoid splashing, and leave a small space below where the cork will sit.
- Insert the corks with your corker, following the cork and corker directions.
- Add shrink caps and labels if you are using them.
- Store the bottles in a cool, dark place.
Bottling Tips
- Bottle with a helper. One person fills, the other corks.
- Put a towel under the bottles to catch drips.
- Label each bottle with the wine style and bottling date.
- Give your wine time. Most wines taste better after resting in the bottle.
New to winemaking? See What You Need for Your First Batch of Wine. Questions? Call us toll-free at 1-877-668-6160 or send us a message.