Coravin is a device that enables wine lovers and restaurateurs to serve wine from the same bottle over a period of up to 12 months, using Argon gas to release wine under pressure and to keep the wine fresh after each serve. It uses a needle to penetrate the cork, so neither capsule or cork actually need to be removed.   The equipment was  conceived by Greg Lamprecht in 1999 and he spent the next 10 years testing different needles, gases and pressure levels………and doing lots of drinking!

Currently, it only works with natural cork, although they are now also doing trials on screwcap-closed bottles.  Full information on Coravin and its use can be found at www.coravin.co.uk

Anyway, the reason I am thinking about it now is that I recently attended a tasting in London at which a bevy of MW’s (seems a suitable collective……) were invited to taste, blind, a few glasses of wine.  These featured both glasses from bottles that had been opened that morning and glasses from bottles that had previously been used with a Coravin (or Coravinned) 9 months ago.  The red was a Chateau Certan de May Pomerol 1995 and the white was a Sancerre 2012 from Cotat.

Remarkably, once we had all tasted the wines, it was clear that there was no apparent difference between the different bottles.  And consistent results have been achieved at similar events around the world.

I have to say, the Coravin is a beautiful piece of equipment.  It looks well made, feels elegant and inspires confidence.  All wine lovers would love to own one……..