Coravin - The Perfect Gift For The Wine Connoisseur
How many times have you resisted the temptation to pull the cork on that bottle that kept 'winking' at you from the cellar, because you knew that only one or two glasses were likely to be consumed? Have you ever wanted to taste a few different wines, from various regions, side by side, to truly experience their unique styles, tastes and textures? Perhaps you have prepared your own 'wine pairing' dinner and wished to enjoy a specific glass of wine with each course?
The last thing any wine lover wants to do, is waste a drop of their prized bottle. As we all know, from the moment that the cork is popped� time is ticking. Oxygen enters the bottle and like a royal party pooper, turns our vinous delights into nothing more palatable than pure vinegar.
But what if there was a way to enjoy that perfect glass of wine whilst preserving the integrity of the bottle for future use. How do you pour a wine without ever opening the bottle�.? The answer...Coravin.
Coravin has taken the wine-world by storm over the past 5 years. This stainless steel contraption, which, from a distance looks almost like a microscope straight out of the science lab, has truly revolutionised how one can experience wine. It was the brainchild of Greg Lambrecht, a physicist from Boston, who worked for MIT and whom also helped create many devices in the field of medicine. A self-proclaimed wine nut, the idea first came to him after his wife became pregnant with their second child. With his wife unable to drink, he found that he could no longer finish the bottles of wine he opened after work in the evening, and much was going to waste. Over the next 14-years (and as a second/ third job) he slowly developed this gadget that allows people to sample wine from unopened bottles. 23 prototypes later and the Coravin Model 1 was brought into the world.
The Coravin works by inserting a long hollow needle through the foil and cork to just below the neck of a bottle. At this point, with the bottle tilted to a 45 degree pouring angle, you inject a small amount of argon gas (inert and already used in the wine making process) from a little replaceable cylinder screwed into the handle of the Coravin. The pressure this creates then pushes out a small quantity of wine through a funnel and into your glass. When the needle is extracted, the springy cork reseals itself and the only trace that remains is a little pinprick in the foil. Magic.
More and more people are discovering the incredible benefits of investing in a Coravin, from Sommeliers at restaurants, to merchants, to wine enthusiasts who love to cellar their wine and see how it evolves over time. Coravin truly is a passport to freely explore wine like never before! Drink any wine, anytime, without ever pulling a cork. A sip? A glass? Literally pour any measure you want then simply place the bottle back into the rack, to be used again at a later date of your choosing.
Top Tips for getting the best out of your Coravin
- After a bottle has been coravined once, store it horizontally. This helps maintain the integrity of the cork by covering the cork surface inside the bottle with a little wine, so it does not dry out. This will help preserve the wine for years and not a few weeks/months.
- Once the mechanism is clamped onto the bottle, just before pushing the needle through the cork always purge the hollow needle of air with a little shot of argon gas. This avoids pushing a small amount of oxygen into the bottle when you push the needle through.
- When pressing to insert the gas, ensure that the bottle is already being held at a 45 degree pouring ready position, not upright
- Keep the needle clean! All it takes is a tiny spurt of cold running water from a tap along the needle after every use.
- Take your time and don�t be too aggressive. Each needle can be good for anywhere from 500 to 1000 insertions. However, if you are too aggressive this can damage the needle and lead to it becoming bent. Do not Coravin with a bent needle! This will destroy your cork.
- Coravins can only be used on natural corks that reseal themselves. They will not work on synthetic corks.
- Coravins do not work with sparkling wines.
We at Gauntleys are proud to finally stock some products from Coravin, including the Model 2 system, replacement gas capsules (in packs of 2) and Coravin standard needles.
Coravin Model 2 System
The Model 2 is the next step in Coravin wine access technology. The system is slightly lighter than the original and some changes have been made to how the needles and gas capsule engage with the system. The Coravin technology allows you to access a bottle of wine without opening it, so using the original preservation of the cork it was sealed with, along with argon gas to remove the wine from the bottle via the hollow needle. Please contact us for more details.
Contents: 1 Coravin unit including standard needle, 1 Coravin bottle sleeve, 2 A65 capsules, quick start instructions and needle cleaner
Coravin 1000 A65 gas capsule, 2 pack
Coravin Capsules are specifically designed for use with the Coravin System to deliver the best seal. Pressurising bottles with argon gas to pour wine a glass at a time, Coravin Capsules are the power source of the Coravin System, and a fundamental component of Coravin Wine Access technology. Universal gas cylinders: can be used with, Model 1, Model 2, Model 8 and Model 1000)
Coravin Replacement Needle, Standard
Universal needle (can be used with, Model 1, Model 2, Model 8 and Model 1000)