Removing Stubborn Labels from bottles

[Todd P]

I'll throw this topic into Meaningless Drivel, but feel free to move it. It could pertain to labels from any type of bottle, but seeing as how I pretty much drink only Port, no dry wines, my pointed question relates to port. Not sure if that qualifies as a "Port Conversation."

So here it is - how do you remove the stubborn labels from bottles? I tried soaking a dozen or so bottles in scalding hot water for a few minutes, up to an hour, refreshing the temperature in the water occasionally (in between posts here and emptying several glasses of Port) but I still have some awful stubborn labels that have left glue remains behind (in some case, pretty much the entire label, minus any legible printing.)

Let's just say I have a project for a few dozen empty bottles (mainly 375s, but some 500s) that will require new labels being put on them.

Thanks in advance!

Todd

[Conky]

Steam off a kettle. That does it for me. If the label has too much glue, it may might need some aditional intensive rubbing, but steam melts it and makes it maleable.

[uncle tom]

Try lighter fuel if water doesn't work..

- Why do you want to free off the labels?

Tom

[StevieCage]

FREE THE LABELS!!!


...sorry about that...

I've found that for really stubborn labels, including those modern sticker-type labels, that putting them in the oven works. Make sure the bottle is dry in and out and then leave it in an oven set at about 90 degrees C. for a while (15 to 20 minutes should do the trick). The glue will melt and you can use a sharp and flexible knife to take the label off. Use an oven glove to handle the hot bottle and NOT a wet towel - don't make the mistake I once made (says Stevie, stroking his scars...)

[SushiNorth]

I saw a variant of the baking method in the WSJ: Heat an oven to 350, turn off, put bottles in the oven for a few minutes (I tried 7) then remove with a mit and slide a knife under the labels.

Worked great for a NZ SauvBlanc and a Fonseca Bin27, but when i tried it on a Churchill QdAA 1995, it failed miserably. The label on the back, added in the US, came off without a problem but the one in the front was stuck like a rock. It also started browning wherever the port had dried on the label.

[AHB]

I tried the oven trick last night on my (empty) bottle of Warre 1995 LBV. It worked a treat with the glue melting but still being sticky so the label was able to be peeled off with no great difficulty.

I shall try this approach for more labels in the future. Great thread and thanks for all the safety tips!

[SushiNorth]

Today has been a long day for experimenting with label removal. So far I found that:

* Most labels put on in the US use a plastic-based gum and a very rigid paper, they come off easily in the oven.

* Most japanese sake labels (perhaps because they are put on by a US importer?) are easy to remove with either kettle steam or the oven trick. They are of a different material than US wine labels, and leave a different type of residue on the bottle. One sake label has been especially resilient.

* Most european labels, especially those for vintage ports (but also Croft Special Reserve, Taylor Tawny and LBV94, and likely Fonseca Bin 27*) require steam. Many of the labels are also made of thin, porous paper, very different from the heavier duty US ones, and ripped easily. I removed the Chuchill AA 1995 this way.

* Dow Tawny required the oven to remove the label

* Croft Special Reserve wanted steam, but was so thin it tore repeatedly

Regarding technique:
1) Oven was heated to 350, kettle set to boil and spout steam.
2) The top-left corner of the label was identified, then each bottle was taken by the neck in the left hand (like a club) and the top-left corner of the labeled was steamed.
3) A knife was then used to determine if the label was held on by a rubbery gum (plastic) or a water-soluble paste (mess).
4a) plastic-based glue bottles were placed in the oven for ten minutes, after which the corner was pulled on a bit, a knife was slid under the full left side of the label to loosen it, and it was removed by hand.
4b) paste labels were steamed (on both sides) and pulled little by little. Generally one part of the paper stayed on the bottle, the other part (containing the information) removed easily.

The delicate labels are likely the best candidates for the system where a giant piece of clear tape is applied to them, then peeled off to remove the label.

(I have almost worked my way through the empties collection, as part of a basement cleanup effort)

EDIT: I've soaked a number of bottles, including that Croft, in a sink of hot water with a few drops of detergent (per instructions found elsewhere on the web). It was effective in removing several of the very stuck (but not disintegrating) labels. The Croft and a "Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Elisabetta Geppetti 2001" were undaunted by this approach and their labels are so scarred by my attempts that they shall be recycled (gasp) clothed. I'll try this technique with aVP label soon.

[jdaw1]

You are the handyman of the port world.

[SushiNorth]

You are the handyman of the port world.

Lol, if i was handier I'd have those labels off! And if I was really good, I'd figure out how to get them off the Niepoorts, too heh.

Meanwhile, Jeff and Julian -- can you save a few empties of VP that I can experiment on?

[jdaw1]

Wilco.

[AHB]

I removed a Gould Campbell 1977 label today using just a 5 minute warm water soak. Came of beautifully in one piece.

[SushiNorth]

I was able to get off a Graham's 83 (the one from the garrotte video) label in great condition with an hour soak then a quick hot-water bath.

Incidentally, when did Graham's stamp the vintage on the bottle glass? I see it on the 80 & 83, but not 2000 or 2003.
Edit: It does not appear to be on the green bottle during the 1970 tasting, and is definitely not on the picture of the 1963 nor on bottles before that. It is also absent on the 1985 bottle, but we didn't have pictures for younger bottles. It appears to be at least on 1975, I couldn't see 1977, and it's definitely on 1980 and 1983 as I'm looking at 'em.

[jdaw1]

I am collecting empties for you, and also have a full W85. Let me know when you will next be passing.

[SushiNorth]

Label from Gould Campbell 80, Calem 94, Fonseca 1970, Warre 63 (a recent faux from a printer) all came off with soaking in hot water. Steaming in a lobster pot did not work at all. Dow 85 did not come off until baked. Fonseca 85 started coming apart after a long soaking, so i peeled the front off; baking might have helped it.

used the bag-cork trick on one bottle -- I'm saving the F70 bottle because it is a pretty color

Warre 63 cork extracted from glass in recommended (hammer) method.

[SushiNorth]

Ice cold water does nearly nothing. Leaving a bunch of bottles in hot-water, to be rejuvenated every few hours.

[AHB]

There's always the traditional way of removing the stubborn label - hold the bottle for some time in a stream of steam so that the heat softens the glue and eventually allows you to slide a knife behind the label and separate label from bottle.

Not something I've had to do for some time.

[SushiNorth]

OK, so i was able to release Fonseca, "Taylor" (aka replacement labels), Graham and Dow labels with significant soaking (overnight, warm water, a little soap). Warres labels after 77 are a disaster and peel only into a pulpy mess. 77 was affixed with a glue stripe on the left and right of the label, it didn't come off clean but it was removable. Fonseca 85 (and presumably those after 85) are affixed with something that welded itself to the glass. It took considerable scraping to get a clean bottle.

I'll garrotte some of these, the rest will be saved for posterity or for double-decanting (after a garrotting).

[mosesbotbol]

Sandeman is one of the hardest labels to remove. Very stick backing and thin paper. Try adding a little dishwashing soap and let the bottle soak overnight if need be.

I like the steam idea, but wonder how it fare on the thin paper labels?