I support what Ric said above about the history, and styles. What I've learned from my year experience - collect what you can, clean them good, and eventually if you get enough - you can sort them out and use like bottles for bottling. So I sort out the clear Burgundy style for my whites or fruit wines. The Bordeaux for reds. Though Pinot Noir is often in Burgundy style, so I try to sort to that. I have 144 bottles filled and in storage awaiting "the right time" to begin drinking, 144 empties ready to be filled in July from my various carboys.
I sort and clean as I need, since storage of empties always get dust, or things (I found a 6 foot snake skin wrapped around my "empties" cases in the garage). Oh, and when I get a bottle empty, I soak off the label and run it neck down in the dishwasher prior to storage upside down in empty cases. Just the way I do it. I don't like to save bottles with wine drops hardening inside, makes it easier later. Then it's soak for a minute in a "no rinse" solution and 1 minute in clean cool water, hang to dry. then bottle.
hope that helped. I sure liked the funnel and guzzle comment. haha.
I find the "hose until your hosed" works also, just can't walk around as much. Can you picture a 6 gallon carboy on top the refrig with 3 hoses coming down -- suck till you drop. hahahahaha.
DAve p.s. for labels, I'd recommend Avery "removable" labels, they even give free software to design your own labels. Sure makes removal easy.
Bob Becker
