Coravin - Model 3 Wine Preservation System

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• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Easy to use, keeps wine fresh

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  The Coravin Model 3 system is super simple to use and works way better than the hand pump type vacuum corks I've used in the past. All you have to do is load the cartridge, press the device onto the top of a corked bottle of wine, press the trigger, and pour. I love that you don’t have to remove the foil or cork from the bottle, which sometimes is a struggle if it’s stuck, brittle, or worse, if you don’t have a cork screw handy! Just make sure to remove the device after you’re done pouring, since even though the bottle is being filled with argon gas, the needle provides a pathway of air escape, and you could still unintentionally oxidize your wine if you leave it in. I found out the hard way that this also affects the cork’s ability to re-seal properly as the puncture hole takes longer to close up when you leave it in too long, which defeats the purpose. The first couple times I used it, I was unsure how much force I should use to push it onto the bottle, but it turns out the Smart Clamp that holds onto the bottleneck is spring loaded and automatically expands as you press down, so you can put it on the bottle and push the needle through the cork in one fluid motion. This model comes with a screw top adapter so you can use the Coravin with screw top bottles too. The screw caps are rated to be pierced up to 50 times or about 10-12 bottles before they need to be replaced and save wines up to 3 months. Neither the natural corks we tried this on nor the Coravin screwcap leaked when turning the bottle over after removing the device. The only disappointing thing is that the Coravin cannot be used with rubber or synthetic corks because they won’t reseal after you remove the device. Another tip is to simply open and pour the last glass out of the bottle so that you’re not wasting argon gas. After all, if you’re finishing the bottle, there’s no need to use the gas for preservation and also the less wine that is in the bottle, the harder it will be for the argon to displace it and pour properly out of the Coravin. If storing the bottle long-term after use, it should be placed on its side so the wine hydrates the cork and keeps it expanded to prevent the needle hole from opening back up. I will warn you that the first pour always seems to shoot out a bit too intensely as the gas forces the wine out of the pour spout, and it tends to hit the bottom of the glass hard and splash up a bit. You may also see a bit of cork debris in your wine too as small particles are able to pass through the needle, so I like to pour through a fine mesh strainer that I set on top of the glass. The second pour goes a bit more smoothly with little to no debris. I found that a quick press of the trigger doesn’t pour a whole lot of wine, but you don’t want to hold down the trigger too long and let a lot of gas into the bottle at once, otherwise the added pressure could cause the bottle to explode. Coravin provides a non-woven bottle bag to place around your wine bottle as you use the device just for this purpose, so I recommend that you use it if you’re worried about that. Another tip is when clearing out the device after pouring, do this over the sink because the burst of gas will propel droplets of wine out of the needle and spout and you don’t want to ruin your clothes with wine mist when you do this! The base model 3 comes with 2 argon cartridges, which lasts up to 15 glasses or about 4 bottles each and replacement cartridges are a bit on the expensive side, though go down in price the more you buy in bulk. While the cartridges aren’t refillable or reusable, at least they can be recycled (check with your town to make sure they accept them). As an avid wine consumer, the Coravin 3 makes it easy for me to sample wine and have “just a glass” without feeling the pressure to finish a bottle or worrying about the wine spoiling if you want to save the rest. Even if it’s two of us having dinner, sometimes we just don’t finish the bottle, and it’s never as good the next day and certainly not palatable several days out if we just try to put the original cork back in or use a stopper. We did re-try our “open” but still sealed bottles after having used the Coravin on them over a week later and found that the taste and quality of the wine was nearly identical to when we tried the first glass. Since we make our own wine this will come in handy when we need to sample our wine at different times during the aging process to determine when it’s ready to enjoy and at its peak. While I don’t think it ever takes us months or years to finish any one bottle, it’s nice to have the option to come back to a bottle a little later and up to two years out.

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  Posted 5 years ago by ReviewedByPhil

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Coravin Three - Drink WIne, Cork In Place

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 1000 Contributor

  Yes, it is possible to enjoy only a glass or two of wine, preserving its quality and characteristics without uncorking the bottle using a cool gadget called Coravin Three. If a wine consumer typically opens and finishes every bottle in one sitting, Coravin provides a new option, a new opportunity. Once the bottle is uncorked, it is best consumed relatively quickly. Here is where Coravin makes sense. BY-THE-GLASS, MAINTAINING QUALITY - Since users can enjoy wine by the glass at home without uncorking the bottle, savoring over time, even over years in some cases, users get the best of having it now and having it later, much later. With this appealing thought in mind, I evaluated Coravin Model Three, the company’s current $199 entry product. I have friends with extensive wine collections consisting of hundreds of bottles with many stored 40 years or more. Sure would be nice to check on one or more to see how they are doing, to enjoy from time to time over time! Coravin is a product that caters to these users as well as unsophisticated wannabe wine learners like me. IT'S ALL IN THE WRIST - In one fluid motion Coravin grips the bottle and pierces the cork with a needle. Tip the bottle over a glass, press the trigger to inject inert argon gas. The gas provides the oomph to nudge out the desired amount of wine. When done, tip the bottle up to stop pouring. In another smooth motion pull Coravin up and off the bottle. The needle is removed and, assuming the cork is in good shape, the hole seals itself. It really is all in the wrist. Find and watch the Coravin Three on the company website Click the HOW IT WORKS TAB a bit down the page, and be sure to click Insert, Tip, Pour and Preserve to the left of the video demo window. The older I get, the more I enjoy wine. I think it’s fun to try different wines at different parts of a meal. As many as three or four different wines would be nice, starting before dinner, then with appetizers, enjoying something different with the main course, and then wine with dessert. With Coravin, this becomes easy and guilt-free even at home. The Coravin experience promises the first glass of wine will taste the same as the last, even years later, in most cases. ABOUT SCREW-TOP BOTTLES - Now is a good time to address that last point, “in most cases.” As indicated earlier, Coravin devices come with a needle to pierce the wine cork. What about screw-top bottles? Not all of the better wines are cork-sealed. New Zealand, for example, allows only screw tops and some of their wines are highly regarded. Spain, on the other hand, still mandates their wines be sealed with cork. Coravin Three includes one screw-top cap. This unique replacement cap is designed to replace the original and to be punctured, then self-seal up to 50 times while preserving the character of what’s in the bottle. Coravin instructions indicate that screw-top wines using their adapter cap are not going to last as long as wines with actual corks, so it is suggested that these be consumed within about three months. This is better than simply screwing the original cap back on. Additional caps are available in a six-pack for $30. The included protective sleeve may be used over any bottle. Why? In the extremely unlikely event that the bottle is unknowingly compromised, the entering pressurized gas might trigger a mini-meltdown, wherein the bottle goes poof. The sleeve is provided out of an overabundance of caution, the result of very few reports of this phenomena from a few years ago. IN THE BOX - One Coravin Three with needle attached. One screw cap. Two gas cartridges. One protective sleeve. The usual paperwork. Assembly is simple Unscrew the capsule cup (handle) where the gas cartridge goes. Insert a gas cartridge base-end first. Screw on the handle and it’s ready. AND THE RESULTS? Does Coravin work? As best I can determine, the answer is yes! Here is what I know. During testing, it did as advertised, pouring wine from a corked bottle AND from a screw-top bottle. The cork re-sealed with little “bleeding” and the screw-top delivered wine and then seemed to re-seal. The wine delivered per pour comes slowly, owing to the fact that it is extracted through a slim needle, not a wide open bottle. I found this of little concern in exchange for the benefit of leaving the wine in its bottle in the original state of unopenness. I tried Coravin Three with an inexpensive corked Hungarian semi-sweet Merlot from TJ’s and with the budget-priced screw-topped German Dr. Heidemanns – Bergweiler Dornfelder semi-sweet as recommended at my local Total Wine & More. After two weeks, sampling about 2-3 ounces maximum per day, alternating between each bottle every other day, I have not detected any difference from the first day to the last. Ready to buy and give Coravin a try? It’s at Best Buy. FOR STILL WINES ONLY - Coravin is not for use with sparkling wines, so enjoy that prosecco, champagne or other wine with sparkle immediately after opening. Hopefully, it will be good to the last drop. WHAT I DON'T KNOW - Here is what I cannot say at this moment. I cannot tell you that a red wine I try today will pass the taste test in five, 10, or 15 years from now. I can only say with confidence that the mechanics of the Coravin system delivered as promised. MORE CORAVIN FACTS - Needle talk - Coravin Three comes with one needle, the “standard” needle. Replacements are available from Best Buy or from the manufacturer. A three-needle kit with three sizes for three distinct needs is also available. Each needle is made of stainless steel with a non-stick coating and is expected to last through “hundreds of uses.” Care & Cleaning - Yes, it should be carefully rinsed after use. Get Coravin argon gas capsules at Best Buy. According to the manufacturer, “Each Capsule will allow you to pour up to fifteen 5-ounce (150ml) glasses of wine.” According to the manufacturer, “On average, a 150ml (5-ounce) pour of wine with a standard needle will take 25 to 29 seconds.” Cheers! Prosit! Skol! Chin-chin! Kanpai! L'chayim! Here’s mud in your eye!

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  Posted 5 years ago by MrGadget

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Great for Those Wanting Just One Glass

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  I've seen these at a local wine bar and instantly wanted one. There's a slight learning curve, but it's super fun and easy to use once you get the hang of it. You'll quickly get the hang of it the more times you use it and how to not damage the device. It's just an intimidating looking device, but I promise it's not all bad. You just place the device over the cork side, slide the side part down and the needle does the rest. It's a clean entry into the bottle and very quick. Just hold and I mean hold the device where it says when you're ready to use. The first time I tried it, it almost flew out of my hand. That's my mistake for not getting a good grip on it. This device is perfect if you only want to have one (or two) glasses of wine. Once you open a bottle of wine, there's a shelf-life for it. You want to minimize the amount of air the enters a bottle. This device extends bottle life by not having to remove the cork. It really is perfect for those that want one glass at the end of the night. It poured slightly slower than I wanted, but it's still really fun to use. Squeeze the trigger once more to make the flow go faster. Obviously you don't want to pull the trigger several times because gas will fill the bottle. When you reach your desired pour size, just tip the bottle upright and the flow will stop. It's easy to clean. Just use some tap water and then squeeze the trigger twice and the gas will blow out excess water. Pros: Open a bottle without removing cork Doesn't allow air into bottle keeping it fresher longer Easy to use after a few uses Fun Upgradeable Easy to clean Can remove needle with ease Can insert and remove gas cartridge with ease Cons: Hold it firmly while you pull the trigger or the gas will cause it to shoot out Slow pour speed Slight learning curve Have to purchase replacement CO2 cartridges Aerator sold separately Recap: This is perfect for a bottle who's cork is being stubborn or if you want one glass in a single sitting. If the bottle is old and you know the cork will break, this is a great device for it. Just insert the syringe through the cork, invert slightly and squeeze the trigger. It's fantastic and fun to use. I can't wait to bring it out at parties. It'll definitely be the talk of the event. I included a photo below of the first attempt pour. I didn't have a good grip, so it made a bit of a mess. I once felt guilty opening a bottle of wine for just one glass. Now I can use this device without feeling bad. I can insert the needle, have a glass of wine and then the next day can expect the same quality since it doesn't expose it to air. I'm definitely going to purchase the aerator.

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  Posted 5 years ago by Danno