Coravin, etc.

I

Ian Fitzsimmons

Ian Fitzsimmons
In the past, I've disdained the use of Coravin-like devices as being senselessly expensive and technical for a non-commercial environment. But I'm reconsidering now, taking into account my slowing rate of wine-drinking and the number of magnums in my collection; the cost could be rational, ameliorated over a large-enough number of bottles.

Anyway, who here has used these things? Do they work reliably? Does the absence of CO2 mixed into the argon degrade the preserved wines' acidity? Are there more reasonably-priced alternatives?

Cheers, thanks.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Coravin, etc.In the past, I've disdained the use of Coravin-like devices as being senselessly expensive and technical for a non-commercial environment. But I'm reconsidering now, taking into account my slowing rate of wine-drinking and the number of magnums in my collection; the cost could be rational, ameliorated over a large-enough number of bottles.

Anyway, who here has used these things? Do they work reliably? Does the absence of CO2 mixed into the argon degrade the preserved wines' acidity? Are there more reasonably-priced alternatives?

Cheers, thanks.
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I cannot shed any light on the use of a Coravin, but I can on the use of Argon to sparge the headspace in bottles. For years I used Argon in the restaurant where I worked. We displaced the air with Argon at the end of the night to better preserve wines by the glass. The first glass out the next day has quite attenuated aromatics. After that, thanks to air, the wine seems to smell fine. There is no change is acidity or its perception. In wine programs at other places, we never used it and simply had fewer glass options (it has to be a place with high turnover, in any case). If you decide to go this route why not invest in a tank with a regulator (initial cost may be higher but you have a shit-ton more gas). That said, pulling the cork and sparging the headspace might very well be different than using a Coravin.
 
I've avoided the Coravin because of what I've read/heard about problems with the needle, especially it getting stopped up.

I'll be interested to hear what folks here think about it.

. . . . Pete
 
I had a Coravin and ended up selling it because I never used it. Mostly because it was difficult to use on older wines without disturbing sediment. I've heard that there are techniques to avoid that, but I never got the hang of it.

And older wines are the primary reason I want one; most of my younger wines are fine the next day without one.

I've been considering buying a pungo, as I've heard they don't tend to stir up the sediment.
 
originally posted by Lee Short:
I had a Coravin and ended up selling it because I never used it. Mostly because it was difficult to use on older wines without disturbing sediment. I've heard that there are techniques to avoid that, but I never got the hang of it.

And older wines are the primary reason I want one; most of my younger wines are fine the next day without one.

I've been considering buying a pungo, as I've heard they don't tend to stir up the sediment.
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Yeah, this is the issue. I was using mine for a while, mainly when Steph was pregnant and not drinking but not being able to use it on wine with sediment severely diminishes its utility.

That said, for what it does, it seems to work just fine.
 
Maybe decanting into sealed, small bottles and storing very cool (refrigerator) is the best shot. This is what I do now, with overall decent results.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Maybe decanting into sealed, small bottles and storing very cool (refrigerator) is the best shot. This is what I do now, with overall decent results.
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This is my time-honored approach. Additionally, you can use marbles to displace headspace.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Maybe decanting into sealed, small bottles and storing very cool (refrigerator) is the best shot. This is what I do now, with overall decent results.
Click to expand...

This is my time-honored approach. Additionally, you can use marbles to displace headspace.

Mark Lipton
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Agree, except for the marbles. I lost them.
 
Magnums?

One solution: road trips!

Never used the Coravin because it is expensive and never felt the need.
 
Weddings might be a better solution. My observation is that geeks prefer variety to volume, and magnums don't get much love at jeebs.

I also have a few double magnums, god only knows why. I'll probably have them buried with me, so I can drink over-the-hill wine in the afterlife.
 
We use Coravin extensively at work, but have never gotten a bottle to last more than 3 months without significant deterioration.

We also use a lot of 100ml bottles which we sparge with argon. Tank + regulator is much cheaper per shot.

I prefer the latter method for home use - it's good for up to 1 year, and there are no worries with needles, synthetic corks, etc.

Bear in mind we have 500+ wines open at any time, so even imperfect preservation systems are crucial.
 
That sounds incredible, wish I could drop by.

Sparing in this context is just flowing argon into the open bottle, sealing it from atmospheric air?

3 months would be plenty for me, in a private consumption regime. But I'll look into a tank and regulator.

Thanks.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
That sounds incredible, wish I could drop by.

Sparing in this context is just flowing argon into the open bottle, sealing it from atmospheric air?

3 months would be plenty for me, in a private consumption regime. But I'll look into a tank and regulator.

Thanks.
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The tanks themselves are quite expensive, fat more in fact than the argon it contains. We pay demurrage on them to avoid buying them outright.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Yixin:
Bear in mind we have 500+ wines open at any time, so even imperfect preservation systems are crucial.
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Why so many? Can't decide, or want to be the generous host?
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
That sounds incredible, wish I could drop by.

Sparing in this context is just flowing argon into the open bottle, sealing it from atmospheric air?

3 months would be plenty for me, in a private consumption regime. But I'll look into a tank and regulator.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The tanks themselves are quite expensive, fat more in fact than the argon it contains. We pay demurrage on them to avoid buying them outright.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

Do you find yourself using this kit often enough to make the cost worthwhile?
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
That sounds incredible, wish I could drop by.

Sparing in this context is just flowing argon into the open bottle, sealing it from atmospheric air?

3 months would be plenty for me, in a private consumption regime. But I'll look into a tank and regulator.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The tanks themselves are quite expensive, fat more in fact than the argon it contains. We pay demurrage on them to avoid buying them outright.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

Do you find yourself using this kit often enough to make the cost worthwhile?
Click to expand...

No, I’m talking about our use in lab. At home, I just put into half bottles.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
The freezer is also practical: click
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Scary indeed. Can anyone here vouch?

Also scary is the revelation that ordinary refrigeration can speed rather than halt decline (net net) because oxygen is more soluble at colder temperatures (I would have thought the opposite). But then wouldn't wine fridges and climate controlled cellars accelerate oxidation even in unopened bottles? Or does the stability aspect trump the temperature? Aargh.
 
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