The Wine Press and the Cellar: A Manual for the Wine-Maker and the Cellar-Man

by Emmet H. Rixford

Capsuler.

Capsules are now much used instead of wax. In preparing the bottled wine for shipment, where the corks have previously been waxed for storing in the cellar, capsules are also used. In this case, the wax is removed before the capsule is put on by means of a pair of pincers with roughened jaws ([fig. 34]). These capsules in different colors are sold by dealers in corks.

They are Put on by slipping one over the neck of the bottle as far as it will go, and then pressing it down closely all round. For this purpose, one turn is made around the end of the capsule with a stout cord fastened at one end, and the bottle is pushed forward with one hand, while the loose end of the string is pulled tight with the other, thus sliding the loop over the capsule and the neck of the bottle, and pressing it firmly in place. Instead of holding the cord with one hand, it may be attached to a pedal worked by the foot. A machine ([fig. 35]) is made with two posts or standards, one solid, to which one end of the cord, A, is attached, and the other playing on a hinge, to which the other end is fastened, and pulled tight by a pedal, B.

Fig. 36.

Piling Bottles.

Piling of Bottles.—Bottles may be stacked on the floor of the cellar in piles consisting of a single or a double range. The bed should be made level by arranging the soil, or by laying down strips of wood, and leveling them. The bottles should be laid horizontal. If the neck is down, the deposit will be on and near the cork, and will trouble the wine as it runs from the bottle. If the bottom is lower than the neck, the cork will not be kept wet, and the wine is liable to be injured by the air, as the cork is not perfectly air-tight. The bottles should be supported at two points, the neck and the bottom; the belly of the bottle needs no support. If two tiers of bottles are put in a pile, the bottoms are on the outside, with the necks at the middle of the pile. Laths are used to support the bottles, about three-eighths of an inch thick, and one inch or more wide. The lower row of one tier is made by laying down at the outside of the pile two laths to support the bottom end of the bottle, and one thick strip or sufficient laths are laid down to support the neck, inside the ring, and keep the bottle level. The next tier may be commenced by laying one or two laths on the necks of the bottles of the first one to support the necks of those of the other, the necks of the bottles of one tier lapping over those of the bottles of the other; the bottoms of those of this tier must be sufficiently elevated by laths to keep the bottles level. The next row of bottles is supported by laths laid on those below, one or two near the outer end of the lower ones, and a larger number on their necks. In this case the necks all point in, the bottoms being together ([fig. 36]). The bottles of each row should be sufficiently separated to allow those of the next row above to be supported by the laths without touching each other, and should be blocked after adjusting the distances. The piles may be made from three to six feet high, and must be supported at the ends, either by the cellar walls or posts.

Each tier may be made entirely independent of the other, by supporting the necks of the bottles of the next upper row on laths laid near the bottoms of those of the first row, one row having the necks pointing out, and the next one having them pointing the other way. In this case the bottles in a row may be separated an inch or more from each other, and blocked with bits of cork.

Fig. 37.