Coravin - Model One Wine System - White/Blue

I must admit I was skeptical of the Coravin system from the start - it sounds too good to be true. Furthermore, I didn't realize they created lower cost models such as the Model One until I saw this as a Deal of the Day at Best Buy together with the aerator. With the fantastic deal I was getting - I opted to take the plunge, and I am not disappointed. Trying out the system with both white and red wines, coming back to them after a week, or even a month - it tastes just as good as it did the first time I "opened" the bottle with the Coravin. This thing works! If you enjoy wine but don't drink a ton, and especially if you're single - this is the system for you. The higher end models (Model Three and up) come with a fancier "easier"/"automatic" bottle clamp. Let me tell you - with the standard clamp found on this one, it's easy peasy - no need to spend extra for the automatic clamp. The only thing I don't like about the Model One is that it's a pretty ugly color, but... for me, paying extra for a nicer looking model isn't worth the additional cost.

I have to say I was pretty skeptical, but I bought this as a gift and put it through its paces. It really works. It is a bit pricey, but if you have a wine drinker in the house and don't want to finish the whole thing in one evening, then this device should be considered. In the past, we have thrown away countless "1/2" bottles of wine that went bad after a week or so, but the Coravin Wine System has solved that problem. One caveat, if you get a bottle of wine that has the "plastic" cork, you will see a little dripping as those corks really don't "re-seal" well. Just be sure to keep the bottle upright after using the Coravin. This is a fun gadget that really works. Give it a try.

If you have people over and usually knock off a whole bottle of wine, then this isn't the best use of your money. The value is in starting a bottle with this (NOT opening the bottle first!) then being able to leave it unfinished. When you come back to it the next day or later, it'll be just as good. We also have manual pump-out vacuum caps for partially-consumed bottles and still use them when we don't finish a bottle with friends. That helps, but by opening the bottle and allowing air in, the wine immediately begins to degrade. (Next-day wine never tastes quite as good as a fresh bottle, does it?) We wouldn't use the Coravin when we expect to finish the bottle because using it depletes the inert gas that takes the place of the air in the bottle which is what allows the wine to flow, which would be a waste if you're going to finish it right away. That being said, with the right usage, we recommend this product.

The product was great, however the directions that came with the unit was not really any help. There are just a lot of unanswered questions. I was not sure if i had to remove the needle if i did not finish the bottle or does the needle act as a preservative. I watched several videos on youtube which were all contradiction one another. If the unit is left on top of the bottle it becomes top heavy and tips over breaking the very expensive needle that is used to pour the wine.

The system is easy to use. It does not take much effort to push the needle into the cork. They say you get about 15 glasses of wine per argon cartridge and I'm sure I have exceeded that as I'm still on the first cartridge. The trick is to pull the trigger to release the gas in short bursts as need to get the wine to start flowing out of the needle. It takes about 20s to fill a glass without using the trigger continuously. Afterwards just rinse at the sink and pull the trigger to burst out any water in the needle. The wine bottle can be placed horizontal again to preserve the cork as it seals itself upon removal of the needle.

I purchased this for my wife, who has a glass of wine once, or twice a week. I was getting tired of tossing half full bottles, due to them going bad using other methods of sealing. I will admit, early on I had issues with being able to lay the bottles flat after inserting the needle. I discovered that I needed to let more gas in, before pulling it out. I have had no problems since. The gas canisters are kind of expensive to replace. But, it's still cheaper than throwing away half full bottles of good wine.

This is the young brother of the family but does the job very well. It's made out of plastic that's why it's cheaper, so be careful. Other than that, you can get your wine out of the bottle without any issues. I usually drink half of the bottle using the Coravin and then open up the bottle. It's great for bigger bottles too so you can keep drinking a glass at a time until quarantine is over.

We were impressed at how easy this is to use and how it keeps your collection fresh, letting you extend the life of your favorite bottles. Recommend getting the aerator to speed up the decanting process. Unless the look is important, I wouldn't waste money on the more expensive versions. The working parts are identical, so the difference in price is primarily aesthetic.