“Imagine if you will, a champagne bar with 70 or 80 sparkling wines by the glass. That is my dream. And I’m not alone,” says Greg Lambrecht, founder and inventor of Coravin, a leading global wine technology company.
Just this statement alone would not just resonate with, but profoundly excite, so many of us who love and collect champagne and all manner of bubbly. In tropical Asia, and specifically Singapore, the warm climate and humidity often shape our wine drinking habits – for the worse. No matter the kind of bubbles, bottles warm up fast and begin to sweat, and the drink itself tends to lose its fizz and satisfying chill quickly.
At a small function such as a dinner party, bottles can only be served one after another so that the sparkling wine remains fresh. And opening multiple bottles all at once is ill-advised. Sipping on a glass of champagne should be one of life’s ultimate pleasures in our outdoor heat, but one can never truly indulge in the experience if it warms up and falls flat in a heartbeat.
Whether it is a precious Cristal for a special occasion, a curated selection of premium labels for a pairing dinner you are hosting, a cheerful cava by the pool or a mildly fizzy rosato as an aperitif, there is just no good way to enjoy bubbles that should be served between 8 and 12 deg C.
FROM IMAGINATION TO INNOVATION
In fantasising about having your pick of endless types of sparkling wine – still fresh, cold and fizzy, Lambrecht is certainly not alone. Luckily for us, he is the man who invented the internationally acclaimed Coravin Wine Preservation System (coravin.sg). Unlike other wine preservers, which only delay the oxidation of wine, the Coravin Wine Preservation System is designed to pour wine without removing the cork, so the beverage always tastes like it has just been opened – even years later.
Now, forever transforming how we serve and drink bubbles is the new Coravin Sparkling. This high-tech Sparkling Wine Preservation System maintains the crisp flavour and effervescence of your favourite sparkling wines for not just the entire night, not for a few days, but an impressive two weeks. Your last glass will taste just as amazing as the first. Incredible, isn’t it?
Designed with both F&B partners and the consumer in mind, the portable and easy-to-use system pairs a secure, universal-fit stopper with a hand-held charging unit to maintain sparkling wine’s carbonation level between pours. The patent-pending Coravin Sparkling Stopper adjusts to the mouth of any standard or magnum bottle, even the distinctive bottles from notable luxury champagne producers. The Sparkling Stopper also locks tightly in place and boasts a design that maintains up to 55 psi of pressure – secure enough to preserve the natural pressure found in sparkling wines when they were sealed during production. The proprietary Coravin Pure Sparkling CO2 Capsules are filled with pure carbon dioxide to preserve flavour and bubbles, with each capsule suitable for up to seven standard 750ml bottles.
The usage process is as simple as it gets. Open the bottle and, when finished pouring the desired amount, place the Sparkling Stopper on the bottle and secure it with the locking handle. Then use the Sparkling Charger to fill the headspace with Coravin Pure Sparkling CO2, which prevents bubbles in the wine from escaping. For the next glass, carefully remove the Sparkling Stopper, pour the desired amount, then reattach the stopper and recharge the bottle again.
ENJOYMENT EVERY TIME
“When we first introduced the original Coravin system, we always knew that someday we would bring the same power and freedom to the sparkling wine category,” adds its founder Lambrecht. “After spending years in development, we’re thrilled to introduce Coravin Sparkling and deliver on our continued vision to allow anyone to pour any wine, still or sparkling, in any amount, without the pressure to quickly finish the bottle or the fear of wasting it.”
Already endorsed by the wine industry, this revolutionary Coravin Sparkling system is the result of working with industry professionals to test early prototypes and validate the technology. With each subsequent improvement, industry approval and enthusiasm for the product grew.
In fact, it is not just F&B operators that may now dispense a wider variety of sparkling wines by the glass, but oenophiles who have an expansive cellar of fine champagne. At home, one can drink a glass whenever desired; drinking in moderation is now possible; and wastage is completely eliminated. Those who love pairing their meals can finally consider matching different dishes with different bottles instead of making all of the food work with just one or two. In addition to enhanced enjoyment and convenience, the cost savings are significant, and users can now rest assured that every drop of a rare and expensive label can be savoured to its fullest.
The Coravin Sparkling system package contains one Sparkling Charger device, two Sparkling Stoppers, four Coravin Pure Sparkling CO2 Capsules and two protective bottle sleeves. Available for purchase at The Oaks Cellars, 1855 The Bottle Shop, Enoteca and The Vintage Wine Club, this game-changing system is a must-have tool or gift for the wine connoisseur.
This story first appeared in the July 2022 issue of Prestige Singapore.
