5 Tactics for Preserving an Open Bottle of Wine

By Christine Havens
 

Five tactics that even MacGuyver would approve of for preserving an open bottle of wine.
You've done it. You've finally opened that bottle you've been squirreling away for a special occasion—but you and your date can't finish the entire bottle (admittedly, we have a hard time imagining a universe where this might happen, but it happens). Now what?

Here are five options to preserving that bottle of wine:

1. Push the cork back into the bottle

The Pros: It's too easy, right? Yes, it's easy, and surprisingly many wines benefit from direct contact with oxygen. The rapid oxidation that occurs over the span of 24 hours softens big sturdy reds with firm tannins and high acidity. This is especially true of young Old World reds from Spain, France or Italy. Sweet dessert-style wines like Sauternes, Barsac or Tokaji also fare well with this laissez-faire approach because their high sugar content buffers them from oxidation.

The Cons: Not every wine can stand up to prolonged contact with air. This method isn't ideal for delicate reds like Pinot Noir or aged wines. These wines tend to fall apart quickly once opened and require more care.
 

2. The Savino Carafe

The Pros: The new kid on the block, the Savino Carafe works by creating a simple barrier between the wine and air with a float that sits on top of the wine. Large stainless variable capacity tanks used to store wine work precisely this way—with a lid that floats on the surface of the wine.

The Cons: This handy but stylish little carafe will set you back about $50. Further it disassembles into five separate components after use. If you're don't mind washing dishes, this might be the tactic for you.
 

3. Private Reserve Spray

The Pros: The Private Reserve spray can deploys a blend of inert gases, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon, which are heavier than air, and when sprayed directly into an open bottle, forces the air out. A simple and convenient solution, cans of argon have a long shelf life, and we've found this tactic to add an extra 2-3 days of life to an already opened bottle.

The Cons: Canned air used for cleaning keyboards seems to last an eternity compared to a can of Private Reserve, which feel empty even when they're new. Aside from this fact, it's impossible to know if you've sprayed enough gas into the bottle to displace all of the air.
 

4. The NitroTap System

The Pros: If you like beer on tap, and you have a wall mount for your mountain bikes in the living room, wine on tap might be for you. NitroTap contains a spigot and regulator that mounts to the top of the bottle. The spigot attaches to a recyclable nitrogen canister. In fact, the canisters look exactly like the green propane tanks sold with Coleman camp stoves.

The Cons: If you're looking for a stylish solution, equipment resembling something from an REI catalog might not be for you, and those canisters are pricey at $80 for a pack of four.
 

5. The Coravin

The Pros: The ultimate in wine accessories, Coravin is the Rolls Royce method for trying out wines while preserving the contents of the bottle. Founded by Greg Lambrecht, a medical device inventor, the Coravin works by plunging a hollow needle through the cork, exchanging wine with argon gas as wine drips into your glass. So cool, you'll feel like donning a lab coat every time you use it.

The Cons: If you don't mind forking over $300 for the Coravin itself, take into consideration the cost of the argon capsules, priced at $10 apiece, they make coffee capsules look like child's play. Additionally, the Coravin requires practice, patience, and even a little technique—push the button too many times and the wine spatters and foams before it hits your glass.

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