Coravin wine preservation system works, but it’s expensive

I have to admit I’m not much of a wine drinker, but when a co-worker described the Coravin wine system, I was intrigued. I wanted to see how the device allowed wine to be poured out of the bottle without removing the cork, thus preventing oxidation.

The Coravin website claims “the last glass is just as amazing as the very first.” To test this I bought two bottles of the same wine.

I poured out about half of one bottle using the device. The second bottle was left unopened. A month later I had a blind taste test with several friends.

One of our wine aficionados knew right away which wine came from the untouched second bottle, as did four others. Two tasters preferred the wine from the first bottle, saying it was mellower (likely because the acidity level had dropped off, according to our in-house wine drinker) and had more flavor.

>> How it works: The clamp keeps the device snugly over the bottle. Pressing on the handle pushes a thin needle through the center of the cork. Pressing a trigger on the tip of the handle injects argon gas into the bottle as the wine is poured. When the device is removed the cork remains in the bottle.

>> Does it work? Yes.

>> Pros: Easy to use, although it takes a little practice getting the most out of a gas cartridge.

(The Coravin blog has a few tips, such as not using the device to extract the last glass of wine, something I didn’t think about even though it’s common sense.)

It also makes wine storage easy since a natural cork seals itself once the needle is removed. Great for restaurants, such as Kalapawai Cafe in Kailua, which uses the system to let diners buy expensive wine by the glass instead of the bottle.

>> Cons: The major con is the price. The model I tested costs $300 and it only works on natural corks, which I didn’t realize.

At first I purchased three bottles of wine and they all had synthetic corks. When I returned to the store, I couldn’t figure out what type of cork was in various bottles, even with the assistance of the helpful staff.

Then I came across CORKwatch, which identifies the type of cork used in specific bottles. The site is pretty cool, although not complete.

In addition to the initial $300, gas canisters cost $18 for a two-pack (one canister should provide 15 5-ounce pours, according to Coravin).

Also, the wine did change in flavor, albeit for the better for some drinkers.

>> Cost and availability: $299.95 at Williams Sonoma; $199.95-$599.95 depending on the model/bundles at coravin.com; and $199.95-$349.95 at amazon.com.

>> Worth it? Maybe for those wine drinkers who spend hundreds on a bottle of wine, but not for me.

Got a gadget that you love? Curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.