#Somms Secret: Wine Preservation Systems
I discovered wine preservation methods out of necessity.
I decided to enroll in the intro level CMS exam while living in Los Angeles, a place I knew almost nobody, out of sheer curiosity. I was hoping wine would be an entry into a community, and hopefully meeting some friends in LA. Needless to say, finding a “tasting group” that would welcome me onto their intimate group tastings was unlikely at best. Nevertheless, I was able to pass intro without much tasting experience. This is because of the way the initial exam is structured, which allows students to practice tasting with master sommeliers during a 2-day exam prep sessions.
Following the Intro Exam is when things got serious. It was while studying for my Certified exam with CMS that I quickly realized a very troubling dilema; buying and tasting through all the nearly 50 wines listed on the “examinable” CMS white and CMS red grape varietals list would be expensive. As a matter a fact; after already footing the bill to take the exam ( a hefty $600 not including books and materials), I was unsure I would even be able to study all of them. About month later, the pandemic hit and my hope of finding a small tasting group was obliterated. At this point, I was re-corking a bottle after each use and hoping it would last me a couple practice tastes, or enough to learn the wine without having to purchase additional bottles.
Re-corking a wine can help extend its life by a a day or so.
While many students take advantage of the wines they have access to in their places of employment at restaurants and hotels, I would have to purchase entire bottles, and have to nail them on the first try independently. I decided to find the cheapest versions of each wine that I could find, from a list that includes wines from; Margaux, Paulliac, St. Estephe, St. Julien, Napa Valley, and all the pradikat levels of German Reisling to name a few.
I started doing comparative tasting over the course of two or three days with each selection using the “re-cork” method, simply replacing the cork after drinking. It became clear that after about two days or so, the flavor of the wine changes. The wines would become oxidative, lose their fruit character and eventually taste like spoiled canned fruit. I needed a better system. Prompted by a friends suggestion, I researched the Coravin Wine preservation System online and immediately knew I wanted one. Prices for the Coravin ranged from $100-$400, which seemed like quite a lot of money to add onto my purchases for wine education, but I was serious about becoming an expert taster. After borrowing a friends vacuum system and finding the same issues as recorking arose after a few days, I decided to invest in a Coravin system hoping it would save me money in the long run.
The Coravin website claims, “Coravin Wine Preservation System is designed to pour wine without removing the cork, so wine always tastes like it has just been opened—even years later.”
I heard mixed reviews regarding this statement, but a general consensus among professionals was that the coravin worked to extend the life of a wine for at least a couple weeks depending on the volume remaining in the bottle. After doing extensive research, I decided I couldn’t find any differences between Models 1,2 & 3 other than the material (plastic, titanium, metal). Finally after speaking extensively with the folks at Bevmo and weighing my options, I decided on the Coravin Model One on sale for about $99. . ( Model One is no longer listed for sale on the website)
Since my initial purchase of the coravin, I have poured hundreds of glasses using this system. While I do think the purchase was ultimately a good investment it is not perfect, and I do not agree with the websites claim of extending the life of a wine by up to a year ( or more) . I believe the coravin works to preserve a wine for a few weeks at best and longer if less wine is removed.
Downsides: The argon-filled capsules required to run the device are fairly expensive: around $18 for a pack of two. Each argon capsule pours roughly 15 glasses of wine. I generally open the bottle after pouring a few glasses and then revert back to the "re-cork” method to finish it up, hopefully sharing the remainder with friends.
3 Methods for Wine Preservation
Re-corking- This method is best used for wines that will be consumed within 24 hours. Simply replace the cork immediately after pouring. To enhance the effectiveness of this method, invest in rubber or silicon based stoppers. My preference is the Rabbit Stopper, about $11 on Amazon.
Vacuum System- This is a system that requires two apparatus; a silicon or rubber stopper with a one way air valve, and a transfer pump. The transfer pump work mechanically or by hand to transfer air molecules encapsulated within the bottle from an area of high pressure to low pressure outside the bottle. While this method prolongs the wines character to about 72 hours, it is not full-proof and should not be relied upon to preserve any treasured bottles wine past 24 hours.
Blanket System- As previously described, the blanket system such as the Coravin, works by replacing the oxygen left in contact with the wine inside the bottle with a layer of gas that is slightly heavier or denser than the air itself. This forms a protective barrier between the wine and the oxidative properties of the air inside the bottle. Coravin, $130-400 Amazon or Bevmo.
While I have not seen or read anything regarding refrigeration, I find that doing so also helps wine maintain freshness in the case of white wine. If all else fails, most wines are great ingredients for cooking, regardless of time spent open !
