The Preservino kit

Most wine lovers finish a bottle of wine, once opened. There are times, however, when a series of bottles are opened - for comparative tastings, etcetera. This often results in half-empty bottles being poured down the drain, as wines that are kept open for too long are spoiled by oxidation, a process which leads to changes in a wine's colour, taste and aroma.

 

Though there are gadgets designed to counteract this process, few succeed in preserving wine for a long amount of time. Therefore, when the Preservino system arrived on our desks, claiming to preserve wines for up to two weeks, we were excited, if a bit sceptical.

The Preservino kit consists of a dispenser, an argon gas cartridge and two wine-stoppers, packaged in a stylish boxed set. Argon, an odourless, colourless and tasteless gas, is used to protect the wine from oxidation. It is heavier than air, and by ‘pumping' it into the wine with the dispenser, remaining oxygen is removed from the opened bottle, preserving the remaining wine. But does it work?

Using the Preservino is easy enough. Insert the cartridge, dispense with the aid of a lever into the wine-stopper, turn and close.

To assess, two bottles of Spier Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 were subjected to the test. Both we poured to equal amounts, noted the taste and aroma, then closed, one by replacing the cork, the other with the Preservino kit.

The wines were re-tasted five days later. Where the wine that was simply recorked showed signs of oxidation (dead fruit on nose and slightly bitter palate) the one locked with the wine-stopper was still remarkably intact. The nose and taste were similar to when first opened, with the shy nose displaying hints of pencil shavings still evident. Amazing.

One gas cartridge services up to 15 bottles of wine - a claim that wasn't tested, because here at WINE magazine, we finish our bottles of wine.

Preservino is available at specialist wine outlets nationwide and retails for approximately R700. You can also order direct from Imvusa Technologies at 021 788 9788.

Got a gizmo worthy of review? Email Jeanri-Tine van Zyl at jeanri@ramsaymedia.co.za.