Coravin Recalled - Revolutionary Instrument That Pours Wine Without Opening It Recalled

[Keithstg]

I haven't used one of these, though I have seen one in use at RdV and was intrigued. Guess I'll be waiting a while to buy one....

[DonRocks]

I haven't used one of these, though I have seen one in use at RdV and was intrigued. Guess I'll be waiting a while to buy one....

I've heard the name, but don't understand how they work. Can anyone explain?

The neoprene wine sleeve seems like it would minimize any physical risk. The bottles which broke were apparently all defective.

While I wouldn't use something like this on an older wine, for a young wine that needs to combat oxidation? Why not, in theory?

[Mark Slater]

The hollow needle pierces the cork and injects argon gas in to displace the wine. It dispenses fairly slowly. It seems to go through gas cartridges fairly quickly. I have tasted wines that have been open more than a week with no ill effects.

[Bart]

They have those Coravin thingies at Kapnos:

wines alla coravin

Here at Kapnos, we are able to offer our guests access to some of the rarest, most sought after wines, and present them as a by the glass option. We use a new piece of wine technology called a Coravin, to ensure they maintain their freshness

3oz 6oz italy     amarone, speri, valpolicella, 1983 73 146 amarone, speri, valpolicella, 1988 54 108 montelpulciano mastroberardino, "radici," taurasi 1997 26 52 cab sauv/cab franc, tenuta san guido, sassicaia, tuscany, 2009 45 90 brunello di montalcino, col d'orcia, poggio al vento, Tuscany, 1.5L, 2004 35 70 nebbiolo, la spinetta, "bordini," barbaresco, piemonte, 2009 20 40 nebbiolo fontanafredda, barolo, serralunga d'alba, piemone, 1.5L 2007 22 44 france     reisling, domaine trimback, "cuvee Frederick emile," alsace, 2006 13 25 cabernet/merlot/petit verdot chateau palmer, grand cru, Bordeaux, 2000 63 126 chardonnay, domaine henri darnat, clos de richemont, meursault, burgundy, 2009 19 38 greece     cabernet sauvignon, skouras, "labyrinth," greece 1999-2007 34 68 cab sauv/cab franc, nico lazaridi, "magic mountain," greece 2007 16 32 lebanon     bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 1978 118 235 bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 1990 50 100 bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 1995 42 83 bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 1999 16 32 bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 2000 18 35 bordeaux blend, chateau musar, bekaa valley, lebanon, 2003 14 27 usa     cabernet sauvignon, darioush, mt. veeder, napa, 2009 30 60 cabernet sauvignon, quintessa, rutherford, napa, 2009 35 70

[Bart]

Sorry the format is screwed up above.  I couldn't get the table to cut and paste properly.

http://kapnosdc.com/wine/

[deangold]

The cartridges are the kicker.  I have had some issues with leakage and oxidation with older wines, 80's vintages to be exact.  Youger stuff seems to do fine.  We have yet to start with it at the Grotto but will shortly.  

[DonRocks]

The cartridges are the kicker.  I have had some issues with leakage and oxidation with older wines, 80's vintages to be exact.  Younger stuff seems to do fine.  We have yet to start with it at the Grotto but will shortly.  

Do you have to tilt the wines to pour them?

These wines from the 80s have sediment on the bottom, and unless you pour the entire bottle in one long, slow pour into a decanter, it has a similar effect to shaking up the bottle and dispersing the (nasty tasting) sediment throughout. In Kapnos' case, I would *not* want to be the customer to pay $235 for the final 6-ounce pour of a 25.4-ounce bottle of 1978 Musar - Musar being nothing more than a decent Languedoc-Rousillion in quality and always having been - Serge Hochar (the owner) has deluded the world into thinking Chateau Musar is of Bordeaux quality ... he's the ultimate wine huckster. He is to wine what Fred Noe (who's peddling *cherry flavored Jim Beam* and apparently sleeping very well at night) is to Bourbon - charming as all get-out, and honestly believing his own bullshit.

[Adam23]

I like my Coravin and find it pretty useful.  Makes it quite simple to open something nicer than usual for a glass.  I haven't noticed any issues with wines sampled with it. 

[deangold]

They also make a needle expressly for older wines.  I have one but have not used it yet.