RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (Full Version)

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ShawnM789 -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (2/4/2014 12:44:03 PM)

A bump to those who have written here. I just got one to try out seems like a interesting wine gadget and from what I have read seems to work pretty well???



OfficeGlenn -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (2/10/2014 8:11:22 PM)

I've had the Coravin for about 2 weeks.

I've had 12 @ 5 to 6 oz pours from 10 different bottles & I'm still on my first cartridge.

It has totally changed the way that I drink wine.

Love it.



Deputy -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/13/2014 9:59:44 PM)

First post...

Mine's en route and I'm pretty excited. Like others have mentioned, I think it will be interesting for tapping into dessert wines and testing to see if "collector" bottles are ready to go. I'm thinking less about sampling from everything that I have a la Lambrecht and more about checking it first before opening a bottle that I may be unsure of as I've had more than a few bottles along the way that I've been disappointed about their state of readiness at opening. At least I'll know if I have to hyperdecant!

It'll be an adventure. I'd love to hear more people's thoughts on this.



ShawnM789 -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/14/2014 9:58:47 AM)

This.... I have had mine fore 2 months, I simply love it. It's very well crafted appliance as well, quality materials. I love the fact that I can have a glass of wine and I don't need to open a whole bottle. As far as laying a punctured bottle down for years after being open, that I'm not sure of but time will tell.


quote:

ORIGINAL: OfficeGlenn

I've had the Coravin for about 2 weeks.

I've had 12 @ 5 to 6 oz pours from 10 different bottles & I'm still on my first cartridge.

It has totally changed the way that I drink wine.

Love it.




Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/15/2014 10:03:43 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ShawnM789

This.... I have had mine fore 2 months, I simply love it. It's very well crafted appliance as well, quality materials. I love the fact that I can have a glass of wine and I don't need to open a whole bottle. As far as laying a punctured bottle down for years after being open, that I'm not sure of but time will tell.


quote:

ORIGINAL: OfficeGlenn

I've had the Coravin for about 2 weeks.

I've had 12 @ 5 to 6 oz pours from 10 different bottles & I'm still on my first cartridge.

It has totally changed the way that I drink wine.

Love it.




Game changer for me. Have had mine since August. You get better at using it over time as there are some nuances. Extremely satisfied! But there does seem to be some oxidation some times like the '11 Fevre GC Chablis which went flattish within a week and a few wines that seemed to change over the course of a month. But I'm optimistic about finding fixes on the few cases I've experienced.



Jhcwine -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/16/2014 4:59:38 AM)

Efrain

Could you provide us with more detail about:

- when, why and how the Coravin did not work. What specifically happened? What caused it? How did you correct it?

- how you get better at it?

- what the nuances are?

Most appreciated.

Jhcwine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Efrain


quote:

ORIGINAL: ShawnM789

This.... I have had mine fore 2 months, I simply love it. It's very well crafted appliance as well, quality materials. I love the fact that I can have a glass of wine and I don't need to open a whole bottle. As far as laying a punctured bottle down for years after being open, that I'm not sure of but time will tell.


quote:

ORIGINAL: OfficeGlenn

I've had the Coravin for about 2 weeks.

I've had 12 @ 5 to 6 oz pours from 10 different bottles & I'm still on my first cartridge.

It has totally changed the way that I drink wine.

Love it.




Game changer for me. Have had mine since August. You get better at using it over time as there are some nuances. Extremely satisfied! But there does seem to be some oxidation some times like the '11 Fevre GC Chablis which went flattish within a week and a few wines that seemed to change over the course of a month. But I'm optimistic about finding fixes on the few cases I've experienced.





Hollowine -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/16/2014 7:21:15 AM)

I'll throw some answers in since I agree with Efrain a bit on there being a bit of learning curve...not necessarily how to use the device, but more how to change how you use it for aged corks.

Don't remember exactly, but I think the instructions recommend you "charge" the bottle with a two-second burst of Argon then release and let it start pouring.

The first time I used it on an aged wine (with probably 14 years age on it), I immediately got wine shooting out from around the needle. I quickly learned that for aged corks, they may not seal the needle quite so tightly, so now I burst for about 1/4 second at a time, which means it takes longer to pour but less mess. I've also noticed a bit more discoloration on the side of that cork when I finally did pull it, some looking new so I attributed it to the Coravin. Now I drank that particular bottle over 6 weeks or so, with three different Coravin tappings and I noticed no degradation of the wine. So the moral is with old corks, treat them a bit differently as their service as a seal against pressure is different than a young cork...duh!

I have tried on a couple whites, and been very happy with the results. I think there is only one wine I recall having had any significant "transformation" between glasses, but I need more data until I can really pinpoint what might be the culprit. Perhaps Efrain could shed some light.

I remain happy with my Coravin purchase...I remain very annoyed at this head cold that has kept me from drinking for over a week...



Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/16/2014 8:07:11 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Hollowine

so now I burst for about 1/4 second at a time, which means it takes longer to pour but less mess.


I actually do short bursts more frequently even with younger wines (newer corks). But eventually you get the hang of using it and will sometimes use long bursts to not wait so long for my glass to fill. I will try the larger needle in the future.

Originally I was very economical with the gas and would wait for the "last drop" to come out with each burst. You can also stand up the bottle, hear a hiss and turn it over for more wine to come out. But now I've gotten the hang of it and have purchased larger quantities of Argon to not have to bother.

The most recent '11 Fevre PC Vaulorent was deliciously acidic and fresh the first couple of taps last weekend. Upon retapping five days latter the freshness was compromised. I've been following many other Coravin posts on other boards and will try the following to reduce the chance of oxidation:
1) purge oxygen from the CV with a light burst prior to tapping the cork
2) buy "poster board putty" and place on the top of the cork once tapped to prevent oxygen from entering once the needle is pulled out

I have never punctured through the foil, i.e. I have always removed the foil and sometimes have had to clean the top of the cork to avoid unnecessary smells. I methodically make sure the needle penetrates at a 90 degree angle and penetrate in a smooth motion. Note you will get better at using over time especially if you are like me and use it several times a week.

Don't hesitate...buy this thing!



Jhcwine -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/16/2014 5:45:51 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Efrain


quote:

ORIGINAL: Hollowine

so now I burst for about 1/4 second at a time, which means it takes longer to pour but less mess.


I actually do short bursts more frequently even with younger wines (newer corks). But eventually you get the hang of using it and will sometimes use long bursts to not wait so long for my glass to fill. I will try the larger needle in the future.

Originally I was very economical with the gas and would wait for the "last drop" to come out with each burst. You can also stand up the bottle, hear a hiss and turn it over for more wine to come out. But now I've gotten the hang of it and have purchased larger quantities of Argon to not have to bother.

The most recent '11 Fevre PC Vaulorent was deliciously acidic and fresh the first couple of taps last weekend. Upon retapping five days latter the freshness was compromised. I've been following many other Coravin posts on other boards and will try the following to reduce the chance of oxidation:
1) purge oxygen from the CV with a light burst prior to tapping the cork
2) buy "poster board putty" and place on the top of the cork once tapped to prevent oxygen from entering once the needle is pulled out

I have never punctured through the foil, i.e. I have always removed the foil and sometimes have had to clean the top of the cork to avoid unnecessary smells. I methodically make sure the needle penetrates at a 90 degree angle and penetrate in a smooth motion. Note you will get better at using over time especially if you are like me and use it several times a week.

Don't hesitate...buy this thing!


Thanks for your help, Efrain and Hollowine. I took the plunge and bought the Coravin 1000, plus 6 extra cartridges and a the Vintage cork needle.

Any point in the "faster flow" needle?



geppetto -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/16/2014 11:57:38 PM)

I don't think the faster flow needle is necessary. If you are pouring just one glass, it doesn't really matter if it takes a few seconds. If you are pouring more than that, you might as well just open the whole bottle. I'm just looking at it from my perspective - I only use the Coravin when I am drinking alone. If I have friends over, the bottle gets ones for all to enjoy.



Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/27/2014 9:25:00 AM)

quote:

2) buy "poster board putty" and place on the top of the cork once tapped to prevent oxygen from entering once the needle is pulled out


I tried this and Do Not recommend. Bought a 3M product for posters, etc. Left an awful smell (naive on my part) on the cork and I was afraid that it would get into the wine, worst yet into me, so I ended up pulling the cork.

Still looking at an inexpensive solution such as food wrap for less prestige bottlings.



ob2s -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/27/2014 10:22:39 PM)

i wonder about a wine you sample and plan to not open for a year +, i was thinking if you bought some bulk (solid needles, like sewing needles) of a similar gauge to the coravin needle and stick it in the cork. it would 1) let you know it was coravined and 2) produce pressure in the cork in case its self healing properties have been compromised by piercing .....



champagneinhand -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/27/2014 11:13:40 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ob2s

i wonder about a wine you sample and plan to not open for a year +, i was thinking if you bought some bulk (solid needles, like sewing needles) of a similar gauge to the coravin needle and stick it in the cork. it would 1) let you know it was coravined and 2) produce pressure in the cork in case its self healing properties have been compromised by piercing .....


Chic, I would be worried about the capillary effect of wine in the bottle following the steel of the needle up through the cork, like a guide rod for the liquid. Just a thought. I am seriously thinking about taking the plunge on one of these, but am waiting for the right time and or offer.



Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/28/2014 12:15:53 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ob2s

i wonder about a wine you sample and plan to not open for a year +, i was thinking if you bought some bulk (solid needles, like sewing needles) of a similar gauge to the coravin needle and stick it in the cork. it would 1) let you know it was coravined and 2) produce pressure in the cork in case its self healing properties have been compromised by piercing .....


You mean like a plug. But this defeats the 'self-healing' nature of the cork which does seem to be the case most of the time. At least over the period of a few weeks. I think some type of sealant over the top of the cork (like wax) is the way to go.



Jhcwine -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/30/2014 6:41:12 PM)

Hi Efrain (and all)

Just received my Coravin and tested it on a bottle (a 1998 Beaucastel), to answer a question I had on that wine. Then resealed with wine bottle wax (the plasticized kind), as further security, and will hold for 6 months before stabbing it again, as a test.

Question: I used 3 short but consecutive bursts of gas (as the wine flow slowed a tad, i provided another short gas burst), rather than one single but long 2 second burst. I did this to avoid the problem you or Hollowine indicated, which is wine flowing out beside the needle on older corks. The Coravin kept pouring while the bottle was tilted and would not stop until I righted the bottle. I ended up pouring more than I intended (removing 1/4 to 1/3 of the wine).

I thought that the flow would stop, but it did not ( at the point in the pour where I did not want more wine in the glass), so I just stood the bottle upright to end the flow. Is this normal?

Should I have used less gas (2 short bursts)? Or just 1 short burst, wait for the flow to stop, then another burst for more flow, etc?

What is the best way (for wine preservation, not argon preservation) to manage the flow.

I worry whether there is enough argon in the bottle for preservation, with the 3 short bursts. What would happen if I did only 1 short burst? Would there be enough argon in the bottle for preservation?

Or is this irrelevant, as once the pressure inside and outside the bottle equalizes, the wine flow stops, but still leaving sufficient argon in the bottle for preservation?

Fyi, I purchased the narrower "vintage" needle, for use on older corks. I will try that shortly, to see how the flow is. If the flow is acceptable, I will use it in general, to have less impact on the corks.

Another item: I ended up with a fair bit of sediment in the glass. Is there a way to avoid this?

Sorry for the 20 questions. Just a Coravin newbie trying to figure this out.

Thanks, Efrain.

Cheers

Julian



gjnyc -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/31/2014 10:19:03 AM)

Curious to know if anyone has had bad experiences with this? (I mean long-term, not just an isolated incident.) It seems like reviews are uniformly neutral to positive. I first saw the Coravin at The NoMad in NYC, where I had a glass of Bonneau du Martray 98. It was good, but like others here I've wondered how this holds up long term. For example I have some 09 Burgundies and various 10 Tuscan wines. I'd love to sample a bit and decide if I want to drink now or later -- but seems like this is untested for following up years later. Seems like it's best for a wine you know you want to have now, just not necessarily finish at once. Anyone know if the people that make this have seen if the argon holds up over the course of years? (Incidentally, I agree, this will make me very suspicious of anything with any sort of conceivable damage to the capsule or cork.)

PS I did a little analysis of prices at the NoMad for Coravin-ed wine on my blog here (white) and here (red)



budh -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/31/2014 11:01:02 AM)

I'm not an expert, but I've had mine for 8 months. I've used it about 50 times so far (I'm keeping a log), and no real problems. The longest I've gone between stabs is 5 months - and the wine showed no degradation at all. I've had a few bubbles and leaking from the top (one bottle) after setting back on its side, but nothing that has effected the wine yet.
I also use short bursts to avoid too much pressure. When I get the glass filled to the point I want, I just tilt the bottle upright. I believe that as long as wine is still flowing, there is ample argon in the bottle for preservation purposes - since all the argon is doing is displacing the open space. I assume that it doesn't waste argon to leave a little more in it (i.e., don't wait for it to stop before tilting upright), especially if you are going to stab it again later - it will presumably take less gas then. If by "sediment" you mean wine bubbles all over the glass, I get the same. I don't think there's any way to avoid it. I think that the less pressure you have inside the bottle, the more "spurty" the pour is - that's one reason to keep adding some gas when the flow slows down.

GJNYC, the advertising says the owners have tested this for over five years. And I'm sure no one would ever put out false advertising....[;)] Since it's only been on the market for 8 months, I don't think there is any independent verification of this. But neither has there been any credible "de-bunking" from the engineer crowd who understands how this works. So their claims are presumably plausible. Hey, you roll the dice when you open an older bottle of wine, anyway, right? For me, I'm willing to run the risk because it really has been great. But, like many, I'm not sure how comfortable I would be trusting a lot of very expensive bottles to a long period between stabs. Let it earn your trust first...



Greg1955 -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (3/31/2014 12:28:03 PM)

I've had my Coravin for about a month now. Oldest bottle I've drank wine from was 1997 Beaulieu Vineyards GdlT, so I'm not betting the farm on whether it works over a very long period of time, on some really expensive wine. I've finished a couple of bottles using only Coravin over about a 2 week period. In both, wine still tasted fresh in last glass. The benefit for me is that I can enjoy a nice bottle over a 2 week period without worrying about having to drink it up in a couple days if I had opened the bottle. Some wine bars near me were now experimenting with selling some of their more expensive wines by the ounce using Coravin. I'm on my second argon cartridge and have calculated that cost at about 13 cents an ounce.



Jasonrgreen -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 6:28:46 PM)

Just got this by e-mail:

Dear Coravin Customers,

We hope that you enjoy using your Coravin™ Wine Access System. This communication follows up on our notification from February 2014 about updates to the Important Safeguards for the proper and safe use of the Coravin System.

As we told you in February, it has come to our attention that, in certain circumstances, wine bottles can burst when used with the Coravin System, presenting a risk of lacerations. We believe the likelihood of this occurrence is very rare since wine bottles are designed to withstand significantly greater pressure than the low pressure the Coravin System places into the bottle. Nevertheless, Coravin has now received seven reports of bottles bursting including one report of a laceration.

We have voluntarily reported these incidences to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in anticipation of a recall. We have submitted a Corrective Action Plan to update the Coravin System instructions and warnings and will provide all existing and future customers with a remedy package that includes a neoprene wine bottle sleeve for use with the Coravin System.

We have voluntarily stopped selling and shipping Coravin Systems until we can fully implement an approved Corrective Action Plan. We are hopeful that in the next 30 days Coravin will be receiving, processing and beginning to ship remedy packages to our customer base. Once we have received approval for the Corrective Action Plan we will begin shipping Coravin Systems containing a wine bottle sleeve. We hope this disruption will be over in July and apologize to you for the inconvenience.

In the interim,
Please stop using the Coravin System until you receive the remedy package from us.
And, please read our updated Proper Use and Important Safeguards Guide which can be found in the FAQ section of Coravin's website.
We will communicate any further details or requirements as part of a follow on communication plan. If you have any questions or concerns about this communication, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at update@coravin.com or call 1-844-267-2846.

If you have given a Coravin System to anyone else, please forward this communication to them.

We appreciate your support and hope your Coravin System continues to change the way you enjoy, serve and share wine for years to come.


Sincerely,
The Coravin Team



champagneinhand -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 7:09:21 PM)

Well that sucks. I am sure a litter of consumer advocates and tort attorneys will have this off the shelves and all of the corporate profits held up in litigation for a long time. Now how do you get your argon. I think I would be a bit mad. Some fools always ruin a good thing. You should read the warning in my Nikon camera manual. Everyone represents a complaint or lawsuit, and many involved inserting batteries in body parts, like do Ni?cad taste better than Li/Ion or charge or not charged. I hope they get this rectified. I was looking forward to trying some dessert wines after buying one of these gadgets.



Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 7:28:39 PM)

I've had it since release and have used it multiple times every week. No issues.

Reminds me of the idiot who had an insurance lawsuit because he lifted up his lawn mower and had fingers cut off. What an idiot...unfortunately he received a settlement from being damn stupid!



recotte -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 8:07:34 PM)

I suspect that this would only be an issue if the bottle was already compromised and/or someone got crazy with the argon.




geppetto -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 9:17:45 PM)

I've gone 9 months with zero degradation on my longest bottle. It is also a game changer for me and well worth the investment. Luckily for me, I am still on my first canister and I stocked up, so I think I will have enough for 20 years at the rate I'm going. Hopefully they will continue to sell the product.



champagneinhand -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/2/2014 9:52:05 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: recotte

I suspect that this would only be an issue if the bottle was already compromised and/or someone got crazy with the argon.





Its always the incompetent that ruin the good things for others. I am sure somebody decided to see how much argon a full bottle could actually hold before the bottle burst. Only one way to find that out... Jackass the movie in the wine world.



AngryPrez -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/3/2014 1:18:04 AM)

We used to use one of those gas cartridge wine bottle openers - one time Allison was using it and the entire bottom of a bottle sheared off, unevenly about 1/2" to 1" around the bottle. Of course it was a red, and wine went flying everywhere in the kitchen. Nobody got hurt, but we were lucky, the edges were sharp.

Still remember the wine, it was a 2006 Howell Mountain Red Cap. Also remember that I was making risotto, and of course couldn't stop stirring - so Allison and one of her friends had to clean everything up. :)

Only time it has happened - don't know if it was a flaw in the bottle, but it was alarming.

Now we just use a mechanical device.



mc2 wines -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/3/2014 3:21:06 AM)

Oh no! We were going to get around to getting one of these one day.... I suppose people can always find a way to misuse something. Reminds of the case in law school where the guy stuck his hand in a meat grinder and recovered because there was no sign saying 'caution - don't stick your hand in the meat grinder'. Darwin's law does not always apply.



Efrain -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (6/3/2014 5:21:00 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: champagneinhand


quote:

ORIGINAL: recotte

I suspect that this would only be an issue if the bottle was already compromised and/or someone got crazy with the argon.





Its always the incompetent that ruin the good things for others. I am sure somebody decided to see how much argon a full bottle could actually hold before the bottle burst. Only one way to find that out... Jackass the movie in the wine world.



I agree. Probably a few idiots over gased the bottles and stored in a warm place thus expanding the pressure inside. Is there a difference in glass quality used for wine bottles? I drink mainly old world and no issues.



mgriffith -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (12/11/2014 1:47:14 PM)

Well, after much consideration (and following this thread) I pulled the trigger and ordered a Coravin. Being the cheap SOB that I am, naturally didn't actually 'buy' it, rather I turned in points to get it.

Will report in when I have results.



annerk -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (12/11/2014 1:59:23 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: mgriffith

Well, after much consideration (and following this thread) I pulled the trigger and ordered a Coravin. Being the cheap SOB that I am, naturally didn't actually 'buy' it, rather I turned in points to get it.

Will report in when I have results.


Points?



mc2 wines -> RE: Coravin - Does it Truly Work ? (12/11/2014 2:42:19 PM)

We submitted request for a Christmas/birthday present. It has been procured. Might even be getting it this weekend. [:D]



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