Today’s post is about wax sealed wine bottles. I just opened one and realized that I actually have feelings about this topic. Perhaps before discussing how to get the wax off, it is best to discuss why a winemaker puts the wax on. The reasons are multifold. First of all, the wax does prevent oxygen from getting near the wine which is a good thing. Second, the bottle will stay clean and intact. Third, many people think it makes a bottle look prestigious and important. Lastly, wax is more environmentally friendly than aluminum foil which usually covers the bottle. Many producers are getting away from using foil and like a bottle neck to have nothing on it. For those that want something dressier, wax has been an option.

There are many ways to open the wax without having to cut it off. You can use your corkscrew and go right through the wax, or you can use a hammer to hit if off essentially as I watched someone do on a YouTube video but why would you want to go through this trouble. I cut mine off and then opened it like a regular bottle but not before I got a nick or two.

Not sure how much it increases the price of the bottle but the packing is fancy and I guess some people appreciate this. I think like heavy bottles, there will be a trend away from this technique but I am open to being proved wrong. What is your view on this topic?