For our wine investors and aficionados - the perfect Vintner Christmas gift.
Christmas is nearly upon us and for those who like an occasional tipple I’ve found the perfect Christmas gift.
Strap yourself in as it’s not going to be cheap but it is going to revolutionise how you drink from here on in.
It’s called the Coravin and it is, for me, the best wine preservation kit available. It’s the one that most of the top restaurants and wine bars use for their by the glass offerings.
In essence it’s a hypodermic needle that you push through the cork and press a button on the top of the contraption. This button is linked to a small canister of Argon gas that forces wine through a nozzle and replaces it with the inert contents. As the cork is malleable, it reseals itself, leaving the wine unaffected just as if it was still full. It’s genius.
I currently have around 50 bottles of wine in various levels of consumption that will stay perfectly safe as they mature. I use it in two ways.
Firstly to check wine that I’ve laid out serious cash for is ready to drink. I take a small measure, say 25ml and see how it’s maturing. If it’s in its window I pull the cork and bat on, if not I take a view and put it away for however long I think it needs. This has saved me on many an occasion from opening something far too soon and ultimately wasting what I’m sure would have been great down the line. I think a cork will take at least 4 goes before showing any damage. Possibly more.
Secondly, and most importantly for me, is that it gives me variety. After an arduous morning deciding whether to have the fish or chicken at lunch, I might think I’ll have a glass of Burgundy. In the old days, I spot a bottle of Pommard in the cellar and think that’s just the ticket. Sadly, upon opening, I find that I’m actually fancying something with a little more weight. I pop a cork in the top, thinking I’ll drink it tomorrow. I open a claret and two chugs in I’m craving something even bigger. At this point I cut my loses and drink the claret. I’ve not enjoyed it as much as I’d hoped and frankly the last half is a chore rather than a pleasure. The following day I’m still craving something hot and jammy but have to tackle the Pommard problem. I commit to drinking it (it’s not cheap) and find it’s slightly oxidised. I battle on. Day three I finally get to open the Amarone which is what I should have opened in the first place.
Thus I’ve wasted, or certainly not fully appreciated, £75 of wine. What happens now, is if I fancy the Pommard, I pour a small glass using my Coravin and if it’s what I’m after, happy days. If not I roll onto something different until I find what I’m looking for. It also means I can have multiple single glasses of wine through the evening or over dinner and cut out the problem of one size fits all.
My last point is that the capsules are expensive so when you get to a third of a bottle left, pull the cork. Also drain the Coravin completely until you’re going to pull the needle out. A final splash will ensure it’s kept in good shape without wasting too much gas.
I found this on amazon at £169.99. I paid £250 for mine so that’s a relative bargain.
Happy Christmas those lucky enough to receive one.
Ullage Gapps - December 2020