5 Reasons why a Coravin wine system is worth every penny

As we launch series 2 of The Grape Escape on Great Western Wine, we are delighted to announce our partnership with Coravin.

Coravin is the perfect partner because their slick, streamlined gadgets allow you to explore and compare a range of wines without worrying about waste. Exploration of wine is precisely what we set out to achieve with The Grape Escape: giving you an escape from your four walls at home. Every Thursday evening, it was a chance to explore some of those beautiful, vine-populated, sun-drenched corners of the world where (thankfully) all the activities of the winemaking calendar have been ticking on during lockdown. It’s been a chance to make new connections, hear stories from the wine world that have been alternately tear-jerking, side-splitting and thought-provoking.

The cases of wine that are available for pre-order before each episode of The Grape Escape contain a selection of wines from each featured producer. We have selected these carefully to give you an idea of the diversity and nuance behind each producer’s range. Sometimes there have been several wines from the same grape varietal, as for example in the Trimbach case where we hope you got a feel for the difference between their entry-level Riesling in comparison to the old vines expression. By contrast, in the Trapiche case, you will have received a full gamut of different grape varieties: Torrontes, Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and a Syrah blend.

While some of us are able to ‘catalogue’ aromas and flavours in our memories, and refer to them at a later date, I imagine the majority would benefit from a direct comparison in one sitting. This is where Coravin comes into its own.

1. With a Coravin system, you can pour small serves of multiple wines to give yourself a tasting flight, and not worry about wasting the rest of the bottle.

“Shall we open another bottle?” becomes a question of the past with Coravin, as does, “Let’s finish this bottle first”.

There is no need to worry about opening a bottle of wine, not finishing it on the same day, and then risking the remainder of the bottle spoiling. This will let you enjoy a single glass at the end of a long day without worrying about waste. It’s also perfect if you would like a range of wines to recreate a tasting at home, or really get into the spirit of The Grape Escape without overdoing it.

2. Coravin will keep a wine in condition for up to several months after your first pour.

This means you can come back to the same wine again and again on multiple occasions. You can remind yourself how it tasted, compare it to new wines as and when you get hold of them, share a glass with different friends, or even explore pairings with a range of dishes.

This makes an enormous difference, particularly for higher-value wines that you really want to savour and get the most out of.

Coravin preserves your wines by injecting a small amount of argon gas from the silver gas canister into your wine bottle. The gas replaces the wine that the Coravin is pouring out into your glass. Argon is a noble gas, that is found naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere. It is an odourless and colourless gas that has absolutely no effect on the taste of your wine. The important thing about argon is that it is a noble gas; this means that it is chemically unreactive. As an unreactive gas, argon ‘protects’ the wine that is remaining in your bottle from oxidation. Although limited amounts of oxygen are important in letting a wine ‘breathe’ and open up, too much oxygen can make a wine deteriorate and go out of condition. Coravin uses argon as a protective layer to help your wine last longer by limiting oxygen in the bottle and slowing down oxidation.

3. It’s quick and easy to use: insert, tip, pour.

For all its high-tech appearance and revolutionary potential, Coravin has also been designed so that it is incredibly intuitive to use. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.

Estimated pouring time for a 150ml sample is 25 to 29 seconds.

You can see a brief video tutorial on how to use Coravin , or follow this simple, three-step guide.

How coravin works

Insert

Align the easy-on SmartClamps™ over the neck of bottle and push down firmly on the Handle in one fluid motion.

Tip

Tilt the bottle until the Spout is over the glass and the bottom of the bottle is raised higher than the Spout.

Pour

Quickly press and release the Trigger to pour. Tip the bottle back up to stop the pour. If you are using Model Eleven, the wine will start pouring automatically once you tilt the bottle. Tip the bottle back up to stop the pour.

4. Coravin offers a two-year warranty.

For most wine-drinkers, a Coravin system is a luxury. We believe this luxury is well worth the expense, but we still understand that you may be thinking twice about this investment.

To help give you confidence in your purchase, Coravin offer a two-year limited warranty . Within the two-years from your purchase, Coravin will repair or replace defective systems. They are confident in the quality of their product, and that you will love using it.

5. This is an unbeatable price that we can only offer while stocks last.

We are offering the Model Two System at £175 . The recommended retail price for this product is £249.90. We are offering a saving of about 30%.

Coravin are due to upgrade their range with a new model, and Great Western Wine are only able to offer this competitive price while our stocks of the Model Two System last.