Dawnmist WineWax Ultra is a high-performance, second-generation wine-bottle sealing compound introduced in 2014 as an improved successor to our very successful WineWax Original sealing product. WineWax Ultra takes an entirely novel approach to the problem of making a seal to glass, cork and even screw-caps that tolerates expansion and contraction with changes in temperature without cracking: instead of simply being a soft material (which may be fiddly to remove), it is an advanced non-linear material that feels quite firm and "plastic-like", but "creeps" so it can accommodate thermal expansion without cracking, and behaves in a more brittle manner when subjected to sudden shocks, so that it breaks away very cleanly from bottle and cork alike when the time comes for the bottle to be opened.

Dawnmist WineWax Ultra is a clean, odourless and non-toxic wax compound specially formulated to enable the home or commercial wine-maker to seal the corks in their wine bottles. It is easy to use, extremely economical, and available in a range of traditional and modern colours, including a 'Beeswax' colour which reproduces the colour of the Beeswax that was used in past centuries for sealing wine bottles. Sealing the corks into your wine bottles has various practical as well as aesthetic benefits, as explained below.

The most important benefit of sealing wine corks is protection of the wine from deterioration. Even good-quality corks may not give a perfect seal, and of course a leaky cork will gradually spoil the wine by allowing air, and probably also bacteria, to get to it. Air alone will spoil wine quite rapidly by oxidation of critical flavour compounds, which is why many wine-lovers own simple devices that allow them to temporarily re-close an opened bottle and draw the air out using a hand pump, so that opened wines will keep for a few days. Even worse than air alone is the almost ubiquitous 'vinegar bug' (Acetobacter species), which is carried in the air, readily gains entry through an imperfect cork, and then rapidly ruins the wine by producing acetic acid, making wine taste vinegary.

A recent wine industry study found that even with the high-quality, machine-inserted corks used by commercial wine-makers, as many as 45% of corks leaked to a sufficient degree to prevent the wine from keeping for an extended period; the figures are likely to be even worse for home wine-making, not least because 22mm diameter corks are almost universally used by amateurs, compared with 24mm for factory production, because the 24mm corks need a hydraulic press to insert them whereas the 22mm type can be inserted with a manual 'cork flogger'. Clearly, a 22mm cork fits less tightly than a 24mm; furthermore, corks on sale to amateurs are often of indifferent quality, raising the risk of spoilage even further.

Sealing the cork to the bottle avoids the spoilage problems resulting from a cork that is not perfectly airtight, and is particularly important if the wine is to be kept for a lengthy period (typically, over one year), as well as for wines that are made without artificial preservatives (which are, obviously, more at risk of deterioration than wines with preservatives). Additionally, sealing the cork to the bottle protects the cork itself from deterioration due to the environment in which the wine is stored, either from cold, damp conditions or cork weevil -- obviously, if the cork were to deteriorate, the wine would almost certainly be ruined. And there is yet another risk to wine in storage that is avoided by sealing: because all corks are slightly porous even if they are flawless and properly fitted, then if the wine is stored in a location subject to odours (such as a cellar with a slight 'damp' smell), over time the odour can penetrate the cork and taint the wine. An airtight seal avoids this danger.

The other major benefit of some kind of seal is appearance: a bottle with a neat, decorative seal over the cork looks much more professional and attractive than a bare bottle with a bare cork in the end. A wax seal can even be "personalized" by stamping it with your logo or name, and/or attaching decorative ribbons to the seal, giving a very professional appearance.

There are two basic methods of sealing the cork into the bottle: either applying a coating, such as a wax, over the end of the bottle, or using a heat-shrink plastic sleeve. Traditionally, a wax coating was used; this method was universal for centuries and is still used on many high-grade commercial wines today. Plastic sleeves have been common on cheaper commercially-made wines for some time, and are now widely used by amateurs too. Plastic sleeves are quite easy to use and certainly decorative, but they have two significant disadvantages: firstly, they are relatively expensive, but much more significantly they very seldom give a proper airtight seal, thus defeating the main purpose of using a seal at all. For this reason, it is wise to regard heat-shrink plastic sleeves as purely decorative, rather than as a reliable long-term method of protecting the quality of the wine.

The wax seal method, on the other hand, is easy to apply and, as long as a properly-formulated wax is used, gives an excellent and reliable seal. It also imparts a 'traditional' look to a finished bottle. Furthermore, a well-formulated wax will break away cleanly when the cork is about to be pulled, whereas plastic sleeves can be fiddly to remove. And, of course, you cannot personalize a plastic sleeve by stamping it with your name or logo in the way that you can with a wax seal.

Metal foil is also sometimes used as a sleeve over the cork, but this is purely decorative and does not give the airtight seal necessary to protect the wine. Foil is often used on screw-capped commercial wines that are intended to be drunk 'young'; screw-caps are widely regarded as unsuitable for long-term storage due to airtightness and reliability issues.

It is important to note that ordinary candle wax cannot be used for sealing wine bottles, principally because its surface energy and coefficient of thermal expansion are both unsuitable, causing it to 'come unstuck' from glass very easily. In times past, natural beeswax was used for sealing wine bottles; beeswax is much better suited to the task than candle-wax, though still not perfect in its thermal and mechanical properties. To obtain the best results it is essential to use a specially-formulated product, such as Dawnmist WineWax Ultra .

Dawnmist WineWax Ultra was developed by Dawnmist Fine Chemicals specially for sealing wine bottle corks, and features the following key properties:

Greatly superior seal compared to plastic sleeves or metal foil. Excellent adhesion to glass and cork across wide temperature range. Stable for very long periods, unaffected by damp, light or biological organisms. Non-toxic and odourless. Can be applied easily even at modest temperature: ideally 70-80°C, OK up to 125°C. Withstands ambient temperatures from below zero up to above 40°C. Technologically-advanced non-linear material that combines the best features of 'wax-like' and 'plastic-like' materials for best possible performance: tough without cracking, but very easy to remove cleanly. Harder, tougher, resistant material compared with soft wax coatings (more "plastic-like", though still wax-based). Easy to use and economical -- a 120g disc of WineWax will typically seal 60 to 100 bottles if just the tops are sealed, or 25 to 60 bottles with the necks coated as well, depending upon thickness and extent of application. Exciting range of colours available, including a 'Beeswax' colour to re-create the look of a traditional beeswax seal. Can easily be stamped with a logo, image or name for a unique and professional presentation. Easy to attach ribbon(s) to the wax seal for an extra-special look. Custom colours available to order (Click for details). Enhanced break-away characteristics: tougher against accidental damage to the wax, but breaks away extremely cleanly and easily under deliberate removal. Suitable for use with "pull tabs" or "rip-cords" (tabs or ribbons which, when pulled, remove the entire wax seal cleanly in a single action). Especially recommended for professional users. For details about the differences between WineWax Original (no longer manufactured) and WineWax Ultra, Click here.

For best results, ensure neck of bottle is clean and free of grease (wipe with methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) if unsure), then melt WineWax over a low heat, such as in a dish sitting in hot water. WineWax Ultra is ready for use when fully molten, ideally at a temperature of 70-80°C, though up to 125°C will cause no problems -- so if you don't have a thermometer, simply heat the WineWax in a dish sitting in hot water, this will ensure you cannot exceed 100°C.
Caution: Never heat WineWax Ultra higher than 125°C as this will permanently impair its performance!
Caution: Temperatures quoted here are for WineWax Ultra; figures for the older WineWax Original (no longer manufactured) are slightly different. For customers still using up old stocks of Original, please refer to the FAQ section for the correct temperature information.

Ordinary kitchen utensils can of course be used to melt and pour WineWax, and a jam thermometer is suitable for checking the temperature... but to make things really easy for you, following customer requests we now offer Pyrex glass melting/pouring beakers, with pouring lips specially shaped for clean, dribble-free pouring of hot liquids, as well as a low-cost thermometer that is just right for checking the temperature of the wax for consistently perfect results every time. Please see WineWax Accessories below.

To apply the WineWax, first place the wine bottle upright and pour WineWax into the depression above the cork, filling it level with, or just proud of, the neck of the bottle (it should be noted here that a correctly-inserted cork should lie wholly within the neck of the bottle, and no part of it should protrude). This step alone is sufficient to seal the cork, but if you wish to obtain the traditional wax-dipped appearance, you should let the 'top seal' wax firm up but not harden fully, then turn the bottle upside-down and dip the last part of the neck in the wax; provided that the 'top seal' wax is still warm and somewhat soft, the dipped wax will bond securely to the top seal. Give the bottle a twist just after lifting it out of the wax, to avoid unevenness. You may well want to dip the neck two or three times to build up a thicker coating of wax -- let it cool for 20-30 seconds between dips. The actual length dipped is a matter of personal preference.

The pictures here illustrate the two alternative methods:

Method I: Top Seal Only

Method II: Fully Dipped

Extras: Stamped Images & Ribbons

If you wish to stamp a logo, name or image into the wax before it sets, this is quite simple -- the key is to let the wax almost, but not quite, harden before you stamp it. When the wax has reached a consistency similar to modelling clay or putty, it is soft enough to take a good impression, but will have a solid surface that will not adhere to a stamp. Stamps can be of metal, plastic, fired clay, rubber, silicone or almost anything else -- and no release agent is required, so long as you wait until the wax has reached the correct consistency. If you find that the wax sticks to your stamp, it means that you did not let the wax cool down enough before stamping. Naturally, it is necessary to be sure that your stamp doesn't have any "undercut" shapes on it, as this would stick to almost anything! With a little bit of practice, you'll find it is very easy to consistently obtain a good, clear impression when stamping WineWax. The picture here shows an image that we obtained by using the pattern on a metal bracelet as a stamp:

Example of a Stamped Image

Example Use of Ribbon

If you wish to attach one or more ribbons to the wax seal to obtain a truly classic look, simply hold the ribbon in place against the glass before dipping, so that the wax covers the end of the ribbon and secures it against the glass; easy ways to temporarily hold the ribbon in place include either adhesive tape or a rubber band, placed outside the area to be waxed -- as soon as the wax has cooled, this temporary attachment can be removed. Ribbon to be used with WineWax must be made of a material which will tolerate hot wax and to which wax will adhere.

For your convenience, we now offer a range of ribbon which is ideally suited for use with WineWax: this ribbon has been chosen after careful tests to ensure that it adheres well to the wax and is unharmed by normal application temperatures, so you can be confident that the ribbon is perfectly compatible with WineWax and an excellent result is easy to obtain. You will find full details under WineWax Ribbon below.

With the special physical properties of WineWax Ultra, it's possible to equip your wax seals (either Type I or Type II, as described above) with a tab or ribbon which, when pulled, opens the seal in one easy step, leaving the bottle ready to pour. As with an ordinary seal, the rip-cord can be used with a top-seal only (Type I) or a full seal that covers part of the neck (Type II). In the pictures below, we have used a piece of WineWax Ribbon as the tab; this works very well, but you can of course use any other flexible material to which the wax will adhere to make a tab.

For a Type I rip-cord seal, please refer to the pictures below. Start by attaching the ribbon or tab as shown in A; you can use a dab of a suitable glue, or even a staple, to temporarily secure the ribbon/tab to the cork; the rest of the ribbon/tab is simply left trailing for now. Then pour the top-seal, exactly for a conventional Type I seal and allow to harden; finally, cut the ribbon/tab to length and if desired, loosely attach it to the glass using a tiny dot of suitable glue to keep it tidy until it is pulled. The finished item is shown in B. When the tab is pulled, the entire disc of wax pulls out cleanly, leaving the bottle ready to pour.

Rip-Cord, Method I: A (left) and B (right)

The Type II rip-cord technique is similar; please refer to the pictures below. Start by temporarily securing the ribbon to the cork using a dab of glue or a pin or staple, while the 'long end' of the ribbon/tab is held in place temporarily using sticky-tape or a rubber band (picture A); the 'short end', which will remain wholly concealed inside the wax, is held temporarily to the glass with a dab of glue (picture B). Now make a conventional Type II seal, first pouring the top as for a Type I, followed by dipping to the desired depth along the neck. The finished product is shown in picture C; the 'long end' of the ribbon/tab is visible, while the 'short end' is wholly covered in wax and therefore concealed. When the tab is pulled, the top-seal disc of wax plus the surrounding wax at the mouth of the bottle comes off cleanly, leaving only the wax on the neck with no loose crumbs of wax, so the bottle is ready to pour.

As a slight variation of this method, if the ribbon/tab is made with two equally 'long ends' instead of one long and one short, a symmetrical two-tabbed construction results. You can pull either tab or even both when opening the seal.

Rip-Cord, Method II: A (left), B (middle) and C (right)

To remove any spills or 'dribbles' from glass or other hard surfaces, let any large spills cool, then scrape off with a blade. Any remaining wax marks can be wiped away using a cloth dampened with methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol (IPA), leaving the glass spotless.

WineWax Ultra features improved removability of spills and dribbles compared with the older WineWax Original (no longer manufactured).

To clean up equipment after use, or to de-wax bottles for re-use, simply soaking or rinsing in hot water will quickly melt the wax off, and it will then float on the surface of the water. Add a little detergent (washing up liquid) to the water to get equipment fully clean. You can also clean up equipment after use in a dishwasher -- this is the method we use. If the equipment is heavily encrusted with solidified wax, pre-rinse with hot water to melt off excess wax, then an ordinary wash in the dishwasher will get the items spotless. This is especially handy if you are using your kitchen utensils for melting WineWax and want to return them to pristine condition for food use!

For small-scale users WineWax Ultra is supplied in handy discs, each containing 120 grams (approx. 140 ml) of WineWax. Discounts are available if multiple discs are purchased. You can order these direct from this page -- just scroll down for full details and pricing.

For larger-scale users such as commercial winemakers, buying at least 2.5kg of any one colour, WineWax Ultra is also available in bulk form ("bricks" of 500g each) at a significant discount relative to the 120g discs. In addition to the stock colours listed below, we can also offer larger-scale users Customised Colours to match their individual requirements.

Click here for details and pricing of Bulk WineWax and Customised Colours.

WineWax is available in the following stock colours; the colour swatches below apply equally to the current WineWax Ultra range (DFC-5001 to DFC-5013) and to WineWax Original (DFC-4901 to DFC-4913, now discontinued).

WineWax Ultra (DFC-50 Range) DFC-5001 Traditional Red DFC-5002 Traditional Burgundy DFC-5003 'Beeswax' DFC-5004 Deep Blue DFC-5005 Bottle Green DFC-5006 Deep Purple DFC-5007 Black DFC-5008 Bright Yellow DFC-5009 Light Green DFC-5010 Light Blue DFC-5011 Mocha DFC-5012 Orange DFC-5013 Ice White

WineWax Original (DFC-49 Range) No longer manufactured. DFC-4901 Traditional Red DFC-4902 Traditional Burgundy DFC-4903 'Beeswax' DFC-4904 Deep Blue DFC-4905 Bottle Green DFC-4906 Deep Purple DFC-4907 Black DFC-4908 Bright Yellow DFC-4909 Light Green DFC-4910 Light Blue DFC-4911 Mocha DFC-4912 Orange DFC-4913 Ice White

Please note that the colour of WineWax in a "solid" form, such as the discs in which it is supplied, appears darker than the wax will appear when thinly coated onto a bottle. This is due simply to the thickness of the wax: a thin layer on a bottle naturally appears lighter than a solid slab of the wax. The colour chart above illustrates typical shades as they appear on a bottle -- but please note that different computer screens do vary in how they display colours and therefore any colour swatch on a website must be viewed as a guide only.

WineWax is manufactured in the UK by Dawnmist Fine Chemicals, a division of Dawnmist Studio.

WineWax Accessories

Pyrex Beaker

Thermometer

Although many customers use their WineWax quite successfully with only normal kitchen utensils, some customers (especially professional wine-makers) have asked us where to get melting/pouring pots and suitable thermometers to ensure perfect and repeatable results. With our long experience in chemistry and our contacts with lab suppliers, we have been able to source some excellent Pyrex Glass melting/pouring beakers, with special pouring lips designed not to "dribble" as well as lab thermometers -- all at very reasonable prices.

The Pyrex Glass Beakers can be used directly on a heat source for melting wax, or can be stood in a pan of water (indirect heating). If they are to be used on an open gas flame, it is recommended to stand them on a wire mesh to spread the heat, or else use indirect heating -- but they can be used directly on an electric hotplate or infra-red heater. They are available in 100ml, 250ml, 600ml and a jumbo 1000ml (1 litre) capacity; the 250ml can hold 1 to 1½ discs of WineWax and is perfect for very small-scale use; the 600ml can easily hold three discs of WineWax and is great for larger batches; the 1000ml isn't designed for pouring but is great for large-scale dipping, holding up to six discs of WineWax. The small 100ml beaker isn't intended for dipping, but is very handy for accurate pouring of the "top seal" (pouring wax into the top of the bottle above the cork).

The Thermometer we supply is approximately 200mm long, with easy-to-see green indicator fluid and clear, easy-to-read scale. It goes right up to 110°C so it more than covers the temperature range needed for WineWax.

We also offer a range of decorative ribbons, compatible with WineWax: Click here for details.

WineWax Ribbon

** New Colours Now Available! **

WineWax Ribbon: Black, Red, Maroon, Light Blue, Cream

WineWax Ribbon: White, Gold, Lilac, Pink

In response to customer requests, we now stock a range of coloured ribbon that we have specially selected to be easy and reliable to use with WineWax, as well as being aesthetically attractive in conjunction with wax seals on wine bottles. This ribbon is undamaged by normal WineWax application temperatures, and its chemical composition and surface texture have been chosen to bond securely with WineWax -- so you can add decorative ribbons to your bottles with no worries!

The ribbon is made of a high-quality, soft, satin-effect synthetic fabric, and the colours currently available are shown in the picture above. Ribbon is sold in multiples of 50cm (half a metre, or about 20 inches). At present, all ribbon is 6 to 7 mm (approx 1/4 inch) wide, which is generally an ideal size for use on wine bottles. We intend to expand the range of colours and widths if there is sufficient interest -- so if you'd like to see something else in the ribbon range, please email and let us know, and we'll see if we can help you.

You'll find the instructions for how to use decorative ribbon with WineWax in the usage instructions above; click here to go straight there.

If you wish to order more than one colour of ribbon using the Add To Basket buttons below, select Mixed Colours and select the total length required; then send us an email specifying how that total is to be split between the available colours (multiples of 0.5 metre). That way, you pay only one P&P charge no matter how many colours you order, as well as getting the benefit of mixed quantity pricing (i.e. the price per metre depends upon the total amount ordered, irrespective of how many colours make up that length).

Since we launched WineWax Original early in 2012, we've had many hundreds of satisfied customers, both amateur and commercial, and only a couple of reports of anyone having any difficulty at all in using WineWax -- and those were easily solved with a bit of simple advice. So this Q&A list covers what we've learned from customer feedback as well as from our own experience in using WineWax, and answers a few related questions.

WineWax Ultra was launched in Spring 2014 after two years' research to develop a wholly new, high-performance bottle-sealing product offering many advantages over the older product. Although its formulation is radically different from Original (it uses specialised polymer additives in place of many of the shorter-chain alkanes and isoalkanes used in Original, giving it an optimal combination of 'wax-like' and 'plastic-like' properties), our chemists have carefully 'tuned' its properties so that the manner of application is identical to that for Original. Therefore most of these answers apply equally to Original and Ultra, except where a difference is specifically mentioned.

If you have any query or difficulty that isn't covered here or elsewhere on this web page, please get in touch with our Technical Help Line and we'll be happy to help you: tech@dawnmist.org.

1.  Temperature Matters (Read This First)!

By far the commonest mistake when using WineWax is using it too hot -- please read and carefully follow the instructions!

Dawnmist WineWax is designed to be applied at a considerably lower temperature than some competitor products; there are many advantages to lower temperature operation, including user safety and avoiding the risks of cracking bottles or spoiling the contents (some competitor products require temperatures as high as ~200°C, as hot as molten solder; clearly, this can be difficult and dangerous to work with!).

Dawnmist WineWax should ideally be applied at 65-75°C for Original or 70-80°C for Ultra, and should never under any circumstances be heated above 100°C (WineWax Original) or 125°C (WineWax Ultra); excessive heating may permanently damage the properties of WineWax, causing it to lose its flexibility and adhesion and become friable and fragile. Therefore care should be taken when heating WineWax directly over a heat source: if you are using an open flame or similar intense heat source then we strongly advise that you use a "double boiler", heating a vessel of water on the heat source and melting the WineWax in a secondary vessel standing in the hot water. With this arrangement, it is impossible ever to exceed 100°C so there is no risk of damaging the WineWax; there is also a significant safety benefit, of course. An electric heater can be used "direct" (without a double boiler) if care is taken to ensure that the wax cannot be overheated, particularly at the bottom of the vessel where the wax is closest to the heat source -- but if in any doubt, we very much recommend the use of the double boiler method because it is "foolproof"; the double boiler method is very commonly used for heating wax and similar substances for all manner of uses including batik art and candlemaking. For large-scale use of WineWax, purpose-made large double boilers are manufactured, or alternatively a purpose-made direct-heated electric melting pot equipped with a thermostat (so that the wax cannot be overheated) is equally safe -- provided that the thermostat is set to the proper temperature for WineWax.

If you have (or can afford) one, a purpose-made thermostatic electric melting pot is the very best solution for ease-of-use and consistent results, because after the initial warm-up period you don't have to worry about the temperature of the wax at all -- the thermostat takes care of that, letting you devote your entire attention to applying the wax to the bottles. Such a melting pot is a real boon for commercial-scale use of WineWax.

Although the commonest mistake is applying the wax too hot, it is also possible to have problems caused by applying the wax too cool. If you follow our recommended temperature guidelines and the wax isn't allowed to cool below its recommended minimum temperature on its way from the melting pot to the bottle, then you shouldn't have any problems in this regard. But if the wax is allowed to cool excessively before it is applied, it will begin to partially solidify before it's applied, and this will make the applied wax seal weak and liable to crumble -- the wax should not begin to solidify until after it is applied to the bottle!

Although WineWax Ultra is designed to be used at similar temperatures to WineWax Original, it does have a very slightly higher minimum temperature, which is why we quote an ideal application temperature of 65-75°C for Original and 70-80°C for Ultra.

1.1.  Use a Thermometer if Available

The best way to ensure perfectly consistent results from your WineWax is to make sure that it is used at a consistent temperature, ideally of 65-75°C for WineWax Original or 70-80°C for WineWax Ultra (though somewhat higher is acceptable, but it must never exceed 100°C (WineWax Original) or 125°C (WineWax Ultra)). An ordinary kitchen or "jam" thermometer is suitable, alternatively we offer a very inexpensive laboratory-type thermometer in the WineWax Accessories section.

1.2.  Is WineWax Flammable?

Any wax is theoretically flammable, though unless some sort of wick is used to vaporise some of the wax, most waxes will only burn when extremely hot. WineWax is no exception -- although it is somewhat less flammable than normal candle-wax, if heated sufficiently to form vapour, the vapour can be ignited if a source of ignition is present. At its proper operating temperature (below 100°C) however, it will neither ignite directly nor form ignitable vapour. If either a double boiler or a thermostatic heater is used so that the temperature cannot rise excessively, it can be used in total safety.

1.3.  Safety with Hot Wax

Any molten wax or similar material has the potential to cause injury if spilled on exposed skin, therefore "common sense" safety precautions should be taken as with any hot material. Because WineWax is designed to operate at a very modest temperature compared to competing products, safety issues are minimised -- at its recommended temperature, molten WineWax is much less hot than many hot foods and drinks found in the average kitchen and is unlikely to cause significant harm to adult hands if spilt. Even so, we do recommend that you exercise reasonable care with any hot material and supervise children closely if allowing them to use any hot material. If you do spill hot WineWax on your hands, simply run the affected part under the cold tap; the wax will immediately solidify and can then easily be removed since it does not adhere well to skin. If a burn has resulted, treat with the usual first-aid procedures for minor burns.

2.  Join Between Neck-Dip and Top Seal

When using the "fully dipped" or "Method II" application method (click here for illustration), it is possible, if the method is not followed correctly, for the wax applied over the bottle neck by dipping to fail to bond securely to the blob of wax forming the "top seal" above the cork. This happens when the "top seal" wax is allowed to fully cool and harden before the bottle is inverted and the neck dipped -- in that case, the "top seal" wax is likely to be too cold and hard to bond to the newly applied wax during the few seconds that the bottle is being dipped in molten wax. To avoid the problem, simply ensure that the neck dipping is performed while the "top seal" wax is still warm and soft, then a perfect bond will form, with no discontinuity between the top seal and the neck dip.

WineWax Ultra has considerably greater self-adhesion than Original, and therefore there is much less need to be careful with this bonding if Ultra is used. Ultra is significantly more tolerant of being allowed to cool and harden and then re-dipped than is Original.

3.  Repeat Dipping of Neck

When the neck of a bottle is dipped multiple times to build up a thicker coating than a single dip will give, it is necessary to let the previous coat cool down sufficiently that it does not simply melt again when re-dipped, but without letting it become fully cool and hard, which may prevent the subsequent coat from bonding properly. With the molten wax at the recommended temperature and normal ambient temperature (around 20°C), a delay of some 20 to 30 seconds between coats should give good results, but clearly this will depend upon the precise conditions of use. When dipping the neck, avoid keeping the bottle immersed in hot wax for longer than necessary as this will obviously tend to melt off the earlier coat(s) of wax as well as heating the bottle more than necessary so that it takes longer to cool down again. It is much easier to build up a thick coat of wax on the bottle neck if the molten wax is at its ideal temperature than if it is used much hotter.

After dipping the neck, don't forget to give the bottle a twist as you lift it out of the hot wax to avoid forming irregular "dribbles" of wax.

4.  Make Sure the Bottle is Clean

WineWax was specially developed to adhere well to glass, and provided it is used at the correct temperature and the bottle surface is clean, you should never experience any problems with adhesion. Dirty, wet or greasy glass surfaces may cause problems with adhesion -- so make sure that the glass is clean and dry before applying WineWax. An alcohol-based solvent such as methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is excellent for removing dirt, grease, fingermarks and so on from glass.

5.  Removing Spills and Dribbles

If you inadvertently get WineWax somewhere it doesn't belong, for example if you overfill the "top seal" and the wax runs down the side of the bottle, here is how to clean it up: first, don't try to wipe off molten wax; instead let the wax cool and solidify before you remove it. Start by scraping off any large deposits of wax with a suitable knife or spatula; so long as the wax is uncontaminated, you can even return it to the melting pot so you don't waste it. Finally, any traces of wax left after scraping can be wiped off using a suitable cloth or sponge and an alcohol-based solvent such as methylated spirits or IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol). For details of how to clean WineWax off your equipment after use, please refer to Clean-Up Procedure in the main instructions.

WineWax Ultra features improved removability of spills and dribbles compared with WineWax Original.

6.  Mixing Your Own Colours

Although we do manufacture custom colours of WineWax to special order, in the bulk "Brick" form only and subject to a minimum amount being ordered (click here for details), some customers have asked us about mixing their own colours on a small scale by combining the normal stock colours of WineWax. Naturally, combining the stock colours won't give you as wide a range of possible shades as we can achieve in our factory-produced Custom Colours, since the latter are made by adding dye concentrates to colourless WineWax "base" material rather than blending pre-made shades of wax, but it's still a handy way to achieve a wide variety of shades cheaply and in small quantities. Here's how to do it:

All colours of WineWax Original are freely intermixable among themselves, and all colours of WineWax Ultra are also freely intermixable among themselves -- but do not intermix Original and Ultra because this will compromise the physical characteristics of the wax. The colours combine by the same rules as mixing paints or inks (known as "subtractive colour"; for example, blue and yellow mix to give shades of green). You can also use Ice White (DFC-4913/5013) to "dilute" a colour if you wish to reduce the saturation (intensity) of a colour without changing its basic hue.

Don't forget that the molten colour of WineWax may be quite different from its colour when it has solidified and cooled. When mixing a new colour, it's helpful to be able to test the final colour quickly, and this is easily done by dipping a small glass object (such as a microscope slide or watch-glass) into the wax, then into cold water to quickly chill the wax film to room temperature. You can, of course, return this sample of wax to the melting pot if it isn't the right colour yet -- but make sure it is dry before doing so; do not introduce water into the molten wax!

Don't forget: Do NOT in any circumstances mix WineWax Original with WineWax Ultra.

7.  How Much WineWax Will I Need?

The amount of WineWax needed per bottle will depend upon the extent and thickness of the application, and so precise figures cannot be given. As a rough guide, a "Method II" application (click here for illustration) on a standard 70cl wine bottle, with the extent of application as illustrated, will typically require between 3.0 and 4.0 grams of WineWax per bottle, depending upon the thickness to which the wax is built up (but please note that waxing significantly more or less of the neck than is shown in our pictures could mean that you'd need anywhere from 2.0 to 5.0 grams per bottle, perhaps even more if the wax is used especially thickly). A "Method I" application obviously requires much less wax, typically 0.5 to 1.0 grams according to how deeply the cork is recessed.

For "Method II" (where the bottles' necks are dipped), don't forget that in addition to the amount of wax that will be consumed by sealing a batch of bottles, you need to have a sufficient "reserve" such that when you come to dip the last bottle, there is still a sufficient depth of wax left in the melting pot to permit the bottle to be dipped to the chosen depth. Obviously, the actual size of this reserve will depend upon the size of your melting pot; as an illustration, if you use a 250ml Pyrex beaker as the dipping pot, you'll need a reserve of around 150 grams -- but with a 600ml beaker, the necessary reserve would be more like 300-400 grams, while for large industrial dipping pots a substantially larger reserve will be needed. The reserve is -- of course -- not consumed, but can be left in the pot and re-melted and used for the next batch of bottles to be waxed.

If you're still not sure how much wax you need to order for a large run, there are really three options: you can either order what you think you need, then order more if you run out (batch-to-batch colour matching is virtually perfect, thanks to our computerised dye mixing system, so colour variation is not a problem, and we can turn orders around quickly); you can "err on the high side" and simply put aside the unused wax for the next production run, which works well if you plan to use WineWax regularly; or you can order a small amount (say, a single 120g disc) of wax and perform a trial run to see how much wax you need for each bottle, applying the wax in just the way you intend to apply it in the main batch -- from that you can work out precisely how much wax you need for the whole batch under your own particular conditions of use.

8. Saving Unused WineWax for Later Use

If you have only one melting/dipping pot but wish to use multiple colours, you'll need to decant the unused wax into a suitable container at the end of the batch, then clean the dipping pot before melting the next colour; alternatively, if you use only one colour or have multiple melting pots, the wax can be left to solidify in-situ. The saved wax can, of course, be re-melted for use in the next batch of that colour. It is important to make sure that the saved wax (whether left in the melting pot or decanted) is not contaminated, therefore if left in the pot it should be kept covered, or if decanted the wax can be removed from the container once it has solidified and either placed in a polythene bag or wrapped in cling-film, aluminium foil or similar to protect it from contamination. Because WineWax, unlike candle-wax, is designed to have minimal shrinkage and to adhere strongly to smooth surfaces, it is necessary to choose a suitable vessel into which to decant spare wax so that it can be easily removed once solidified. Containers made of flexible and very-low-adhesion plastics (HDPE, PP, PTFE) are often suitable -- flexing the container will break the weak adhesion that the wax will have on such plastics. Otherwise, a good method is to use a shallow bowl-shaped vessel of any material (a ceramic or plastic food bowl is ideal) and line it with aluminium foil, being careful to keep the foil as smooth as possible -- with this method, the foil prevents the wax from contacting the vessel, and the foil can be peeled off the solidified wax quite easily.

However, please be aware that WineWax Original should never be mixed with WineWax Ultra: mixing the two formulations will produce a wax that does not have useful characteristics for sealing.

9. Is WineWax Available in Metallic or Glitter Colours?

Not yet, but we are actively researching the idea -- and even experimenting with glow-in-the-dark WineWax! There are technical difficulties with adding metallic finishes to a wax-based product -- the metallic, or pseudo-metallic, particles must stay suspended in the molten wax and not sink to the bottom, and when solidified, must not come loose from the surface ("dusting off"), but must also be able to show their metallic sparkle through the surface of the wax. Achieving this requires some very careful chemistry -- and any additives needed to make it happen must (of course) be non-toxic and safe for use with food/drink.

For reasons of chemistry, it was not possible to produce a metallic or glitter variant of WineWax Original, however the alternative chemistry used in WineWax Ultra (which, although still principally a wax product, includes various polymeric components) should be suitable to suspend metallic/glitter finishes with some modifications to its formulation. We're working on it...

10. What are the Differences Between WineWax Original and WineWax Ultra?

All bottle-sealing materials have to cope with the natural expansion and contraction of the bottle, wax and cork with changes in temperature; a wax seal that cracks with natural temperature variations is not much use as a seal! For that reason, most sealing materials (including the time-honoured beeswax seal and also WineWax Original) are relatively soft, so they have a certain amount of natural "give" to avoid cracking. WineWax Original is also thermally-matched (as far as possible) to glass so as to achieve a crack-free seal without needing to be unduly soft; the 'limiting factor' here is that when the wax is actually applied, the wax is inevitably hot while the bottle is cold, so the wax must be accommodating (i.e. soft) enough not to crack as it cools.

WineWax Ultra addresses this problem in an entirely unique and novel way: instead of simply being soft enough to flex with thermal changes (as is the case with conventional waxes) or very tough like a hot-melt plastic (which presents considerable problems with both application and removal), it is an advanced "non-linear material" exhibiting the special physical property known as viscoplasticity. This means that it behaves quite differently with tiny, slow flexures such as thermal expansion and contraction compared with the large, fast ones associated with breaking the seal. When it is deformed slowly and on a tiny scale, as is typical of thermal changes, WineWax Ultra can flex and "flow", even though it has a surprisingly hard surface finish for a wax-type product, so it does not crack under normal wine storage conditions and will tolerate surprisingly rough handling. However, under the large, fast deformations experienced when one removes the seal, the wax behaves in a brittle manner, and readily and very cleanly cracks away from the glass and cork without crumbling. As a result, WineWax Ultra provides a very tough and resistant bottle seal which can nevertheless be very easily and cleanly removed; it is even possible to include a "pull tab" or "rip-cord" in the seal, which when pulled removes the seal in one step, leaving the mouth of the bottle entirely free of wax (click here for details of how to do this).

WineWax Ultra is significantly harder and tougher than WineWax Original and will withstand somewhat higher ambient temperatures without unwanted softening occurring, despite having improved removal ("break-away") characteristics; nevertheless it can be applied in exactly the same manner and at only fractionally higher temperature than WineWax Original, thus offering a very easy upgrade path. WineWax Ultra is available in precisely the same range of colours (including custom-made colours) as Original, for ease of product migration.

WineWax Ultra is the perfect choice for both professional winemakers and discerning amateurs, who are looking for the ultimate in quality, performance and "look and feel" from a bottle-sealing product, yet at a very modest cost. WineWax Ultra combines tough, resilient and secure sealing with the easiest and cleanest break-away action when the seal is broken prior to opening the bottle, and can be used with pull-tabs, making a secure wax seal that is as easy and clean to open as a ring-pull can -- but still costs far less than alternative (and decidedly inferior) sealing options such as shrink-wrap plastic or metal foil sleeves.

11. Why did you decide to discontinue WineWax Original?

As their names imply, WineWax Original was the first wine-bottle sealing product we launched, while WineWax Ultra is a second-generation product with all-round greatly improved performance, introduced two years after Original following a great deal of both scientific and market research. Ultra performs better in every respect than Original and is a the only product on the market to offer its unique combination of advantages, with its advanced viscoplastic sealing properties and able to be applied to bottles at only 70-80°C.

For the first few months after WineWax Ultra was introduced, it was priced somewhat higher than WineWax Original, reflecting its more complex chemistry, manufacturing process and higher performance, and as a result it was worthwhile to keep WineWax Original in production for the most cost-sensitive applications where performance was less critical. However, as WineWax Ultra has become more and more popular, giving economies of scale, and we have optimized our manufacturing processes, we have been able to lower the price considerably. At the same time, some of the ingredients used in Original have increased in cost, with the result that there is no longer any meaningful price differential between Original and Ultra. Given that the performance of Ultra is significantly higher than Original and that migration to Ultra is very easy, we decided to discontinue Original, effective June 2014, and pass the savings made by reducing product and raw-material inventory on to the customer by offering the lowest possible pricing on WineWax Ultra.

We do not expect customers to experience any difficulties in migrating from using Original to Ultra since the method of usage is identical; the only noteworthy point is that the minimum recommended temperature for applying Ultra is 5°C higher than for Original (70°C rather than 65°C). We believe that customers who have not yet migrated to Ultra will be pleasantly impressed by the improved performance of the wax, particularly in terms of the strength and clean removal of the seal. We will, of course, provide help and advice wherever this is needed, and where customers have had us formulate Custom Colours in WineWax Original for them, we have made arrangements for these to be reformulated into Ultra free-of-charge; please click here for details.