Picture this: It’s Wednesday and you’ve had a rough day. You would love some bubbles — both a bath and a glass — to help you wind down for the evening and you know you already have a bottle chilling in the fridge. But, let’s be real: It’s Wednesday and you’re not going to be drinking that whole bottle tonight.
This is where Coravin comes in. The latest in the line of Coravin wine preserver systems, Coravin Sparkling was made for nights just like this. The Sparkling System is designed to preserve the flavor and effervescence of your bubbly booze for up to four weeks.
“Coravin is a brand on a mission to expand the way people can experience wine. We inspire wine exploration through innovations that give everyone the power of choice,” says Greg Lambrecht, founder, Coravin.
The Gourmet Insider recently spoke to Lambrecht about the system, why it makes sense for today’s sipper and what he wants people to know about wine preservation.
TGI: How long was Sparkling in development for, and what were some of the challenges faced?
Greg Lambrecht: Coravin Sparkling was in development for eight years, as we wanted to make sure this system held up to the standards of even the most discerning sparkling wine connoisseurs. The challenge preserving sparkling wines is maintaining both flavor and effervescence across a wide range of perlage levels. Equally challenging was making sure that our system would not only meet our standard of the last glass tasting just as amazing as the first, but also that it would be easy and intuitive to use. We were committed to both performance and ease of use.
TGI: What’s different about Sparkling than other Coravin systems?
GL: From the very beginning, I always wanted our products to enable wine lovers to pour a glass of any wine, still or sparkling, without worrying about when they would finish the bottle. We were able to deliver against this need with still wines with the original Timeless and subsequent Pivot systems. And now Coravin Sparkling gives sparkling wine drinkers the same freedom and flexibility as Coravin originally enabled for still wines. Coravin Sparkling has a stopper that importantly fits securely on any bottle of sparkling wine from a half bottle to a magnum. We employ unique materials to ensure that CO2 does not escape and that oxygen does not enter the bottle. The system is also simple to use with extremely reliable consistency. The Charger component has an indicator showing when the bottle has been appropriately charged to protect the perlage of the wine. This combination of features gives people the chance to enjoy sparkling wines and champagnes on any occasion or even drink across multiple styles in the same evening and preserve the bottle for up to four weeks.
TGI: What would you tell someone who is a bit intimidated by using something like this?
GL: There is no reason to be intimidated. We are always focused on ease of use as a critical component of every product we bring to market, include Coravin Sparkling. Further, using the Coravin Sparkling system, or any of our systems, opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to sparkling and still wines by empowering you to pour the way you consume…by the glass…rather than being restricted by the measure of purchase…by the bottle. This means you can sample different wines in the same evening, or indulge in an expensive bottle without the worry about waste because you didn’t finish the whole bottle.
TGI: What sets this product apart from other ones across the market that also promise to keep sparkling wine fresh?
GL: One of the most notable features of the Coravin Sparkling system is the universal Stopper that self-adjusts to lock securely on any sparkling wine bottle, from a half to a magnum.
The Coravin Sparkling charger then uses carbon dioxide (CO2), the same gas that creates the bubbles in the wine, to fill the headspace (empty space in the bottle) above the wine, preventing the bubbles in the sparkling wine from dissipating. We use unique materials to ensure CO2 does not escape and oxygen does not enter the bottle. Additionally, the visual pressure indicator on the side of the charger lets you know when the bottle has been fully charged. This combination of features keeps the original flavor and effervescence intact, ensuring the last glass will taste just like the first.
TGI: Why is now the right time to bring this product to the market?
GL: This product has been eight years in the making, but there has never been a better time, particularly as wine consumption has increased significantly during the pandemic, and we have seen incredible growth in sparkling wines in particular. In fact, we recently conducted a consumer survey that showed that 70% of adults enjoy a glass of sparkling wine or champagne from time to time, and 23% of those consumers also said they would drink more champagne if they knew they didn’t have to finish the entire bottle!
TGI: Any best practices, tips or hacks for this system, or any of the others?
GL: We recommend when using the Coravin Sparkling system that you replace the stopper as soon as you have finished pouring the desired amount to prevent additional bubbles from escaping. At the end of your evening, simply use the Sparkling Charger to fill the head space with Coravin Pure™ Sparkling CO2 so your next glass is as bubbly as the first. For best results, store the bottle on its side in a refrigerator.
