Remove Wine Labels for Collecting

Collecting wine labels has become an increasingly popular hobby, especially amongst those who appreciate a good drop. This article provides some information on how to best remove and protect the labels that you'd like to add to your collection.

Steps

Soaking the labels in water

  1. Soak the bottle in hot water for 15 minutes. If wished, you can purchase a chlorinated soap from a store that carries wine-making equipment and add a little of this following the instructions. This will help to dissolve the glue.
  2. Remove the bottle from the hot water. Gently peel the label off the bottle.
  3. Dry the label. Face it glue-side upwards on a clean surface to dry; facing it upwards this will make sure that it doesn't stick to anything else as it dries. Alternatively, place it glue-side down on a sheet of fine white paper and cut around the paper after the glue of the label has re-stuck to the paper. The method that you use will depend on how you wish to store and display your wine labels; the latter method has the advantage of strengthening the label but is probably not as collectible as keeping it free of paper.

Heating labels in a hot oven

  1. Try using the oven for removing harder labels. When a label just won't budge, try the oven method. Place the bottle into an oven at 250ºC/475ºF for about 10 minutes.
  2. Remove the bottle from the oven. Wear good oven mitts to handle the hot bottle!
  3. Remove the label. With the help of a knife or a razor blade, delicately lift up one corner of the label and carefully peel back. Pull it gently and evenly.
  4. Preserve the label. Labels that need to be removed in this way have a glue that will not dry. To keep the label, you will need to put it on something, such as a clean sheet of paper.

Removing labels with boiling water

  1. Fill the bottle with hot water. This method is related to the oven method, but may be easier to handle. Bring some water to boiling, and fill the bottle with it. A funnel may make this easier. Keep the label dry.
  2. Wait a minute or two. Let the bottle become hot from the water inside.
  3. Remove the label. With the help of a knife or a razor blade, delicately lift up one corner of the label and carefully peel back. Pull it gently and evenly.
  4. Preserve the label. Labels that need to be removed in this way have a glue that will not dry. To keep the label, you will need to put it on something, such as a clean sheet of paper.

Removing labels with gel

This method can be used if the wine bottle is still full and unopened.

  1. Find a suitable goo-removing, goo-be-gone, etc. style gel.
  2. Following the instructions on the packaging, spray the wine bottle labels liberally with the gel.
  3. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes. The gel will work its magic.
  4. Wearing gloves to protect your skin, peel or slide the labels right off, intact. This should be a cinch. If keeping the labels, dry them on a clean sheet of greaseproof paper.
  5. Wash the bottles in warm, soapy water to remove the gel. Allow to air dry, if keeping.

Tips

  • Some labels will not come off the bottle; either intact or at all. Numerous Italian wines are known for this problem. In this case, take a photo of the wine you enjoyed and add the photo to the collection!

Warnings

  • Only responsible adults should attempt the oven or hot water method method; the bottle will be very hot to handle.

Things You'll Need

  • Wine bottles with labels you wish to collect
  • Bowl for soaking
  • Hot water
  • Chlorinated soap mixture (available from wine-making supply stores)
  • Fine white paper (optional)
  • Oven, oven mitts, knife/razor blade (optional)

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