Glass Rules

• Glass is the most commonly used storage container for home winemaking, both during fermentation and bottling. Glass is a strong material that does not add any off-taste or odors in finished wine. Seal your glass bottles with a cork, synthetic cork or a screw top. Little oxygen is able to pass through a wine bottle once sealed, allowing you to store wine in glass bottles for several years without any negative changes in quality.

Choosing Plastic

• Plastic should never be used for long-term storage of wine, but it can be used for short-term storage. Plastic is a more porous material than glass, and oxygen will slowly pass through it, which will adversely affect the quality of your wine. Any storage time under a year will not produce noticeable changes in quality due to oxidation. However, depending on the type of wine, it may develop off-tastes associated with plastic storage. Use only PET plastic bottles when choosing plastic for short-term wine storage.

Keeping Things Clean

• One problem with using plastic bottles is that they are more difficult to clean and sterilize than glass. Because plastic is softer than glass, its surface can be easily scratched, making it difficult to thoroughly clean. Be sure to use both a cleanser and sterilizer before using plastic bottles. Remove tough stains with a bottle brush, taking special care to clean the bottom and neck of the plastic bottle where build-up and residue occurs.

Cap It

• Use a standard plastic bottle top to seal wine in plastic bottles. Clean and sterilize used bottle tops before sealing bottles, or purchase new plastic screw-top closures from a home-brew store or online retailer. Plastic bottles are capable of withstanding carbonation, and for this reason, they make a good choice for the short-term storage of sparkling wines. However, it is important that you seal the top tightly by applying firm pressure to twist it as far as its threads allow, to prevent the cap from loosening under pressure.