The Wine Skin and the Wine Diaper
Travelling companions
Holidays are drawing near and, for those travelling to the winelands, stocking up on wine always poses a transport problem. How to get your precious bottles back safely?
The Wine Skin and the Wine Diaper both claim that they protect bottles from breaking and leaking wine all over the clothes in your suitcase. Quite different in design, the Wine Skin has a thick outer plastic layer with bubble wrap providing the inner layer and cushioning, while the Wine Diaper has thinner plastic with a layer of cotton on the inside to absorb any spillage. In both cases you simply slip your bottle into the container and seal it off.
It is impossible to gauge the amount of rough handling that bags are subjected to in transit, but for bottles to break it must be quite severe. In any event, we did not smash the bottles in their respective carriers; we merely allowed them to leak close to empty by causing their screwcaps to come loose. We then rolled the containers on a white counter to spot minor "bleeds".
Leakage in both instances was small. Some wine did leak out at the seams (especially when not sealed properly - be sure to check this), but most of it was saved. We then left the containers to bleed overnight (to test for those 10-hour flights).
By the following morning, the Wine Diaper had absorbed all the liquid, turning the cotton inside to mush - and pulling it to one side in a lump, which effectively exposed the bottle, leaving it vulnerable to any further rough handling. For this reason, the manufacturers say future modifications will include thicker plastic and a stronger ziplock closure. Until then, the Wine Skin might be more reliable simply because its packaging seems sturdier.
Both products are intended for once-off usage only. The Wine Skin costs about R25 and is available at various outlets (call Leslie Berman on 084 616 3410 for the one closest to you). The Wine Diaper is promptly shipped from the US (we got ours in a week), and retails for $3.50 (also around R25). Visit http://winediaper.com, or mail winediaper@winediaper.com.
Got a gizmo worthy of review? Mail Jeanri-Tine van Zyl at jeanri@ramsaymedia.co.za.
