test please delete

[RichardCranium]

The 29 bottles and one half bottle of wine now need to stand upright for five days.

When you push a cork into a bottle, it squashes the air in the neck of the bottle.

[RichardCranium]

When you push a cork into a bottle, it squashes the air in the neck of the bottle.

By standing the bottles upright for a few days, this excess air pressure can escape around the sides of the cork.

[RichardCranium]

By standing the bottles upright for a few days, this excess air pressure can escape around the sides of the cork.

This is done for two reasons.

[RichardCranium]

This is done for two reasons.

Firstly, to prevent the cork being pushed out again by the air pressure.

[RichardCranium]

Firstly, to prevent the cork being pushed out again by the air pressure.

Secondly it minimises the amount of oxygen in the bottle to react with the alcohol.

[RichardCranium]

After those few days, the bottles can be laid on their sides.

[RichardCranium]

After those few days, the bottles can be laid on their sides.

That allows the wine to come into contact with the cork, which is slightly absorbent.

[RichardCranium]

That allows the wine to come into contact with the cork, which is slightly absorbent.

The cork then expands and forms an air-tight seal against the neck of the bottle.

Clever and simple, innit?

[RichardCranium]

Tomorrow we apply the same process to the other barrel of wine.

But not backwards. It's not a palindrome!

[RichardCranium]

Although I have been putting wine inside me all evening.