There are times when you just want to enjoy a glass of wine and not have the rest of the bottle go to waste. Alternatively, you might have some people at your table who prefer a white, with others opting for a red. The dilemma … what do you open? Luckily, the Coravin wine preservation system answers that question, allowing you to open the bottle and enjoy the wine just as the winemaker intended. It’s truly a game changer in the world of wine, not only for consumers, but also for cellar doors and hospitality venues.
Mastermind discovered Coravin in 2016 when Sally Scarborough of Scarborough Wine and our own Trish Barry were touring through the Napa Valley on an educational trip. Many of the tasting rooms were using this funky device, and tasting room staff and restaurants throughout Napa were massive advocates of the system. It offers a way to preserve the wines and access a back vintage library throughout tasting. This means tasting rooms can charge more for a more extensive wine experience but still minimise waste.
The problem at the time for many Australian and New Zealand wine brands, however, was that the Coravin closure worked only on cork bottles, and for most wines in Australia and New Zealand, the cork was no longer commonplace. But inventor Greg Lambrecht fixed that problem, using some of the same technology that medical equipment employs to devise a special cap that works for screw caps, too. You can learn more about this here:
A Valued Member of the Mastermind Family
We’re thrilled that the Coravin team has become part of the Mastermind Consulting family. We’re helping the brand build a local presence on social media, and we couldn’t be more excited about the new products and innovations that continue to hit the market!
Getting to know how the product works and consuming a lot of wines ourselves (it’s responsible product familiarity, of course!), we’ve come to love Coravin’s functionality. It’s truly changing the way people consume wine. Learn more about the Coravin story from founder Greg Lambrecht:
The Coravin Range
The shelf life of a wine using Coravin’s traditional needle device can last years, meaning you can drink better wines and leave the rest of the bottle to enjoy at a later date! The device’s argon gas ensures preservation of the wine without impacting flavour. It’s great for restaurants opening back vintage wines, wineries hosting cellar door and other wine experiences, and consumers sampling and savouring from their home cellars.
The new Coravin Pivot launched in Australia in July 2021. It’s ideal for those wines where you know you’ll open the bottle but want to ensure minimal oxidisation, allowing wine preservation for as long as four weeks.
Among the Coravin range:
- Model Three: This is the basic model, featuring Coravin’s unique needle device.
- Model Six: This is the system that got the Mastermind team hooked, and we especially love our funky red one.
- Model Eleven: This is the ultimate wine gadget. When you download the Coravin Moments app, you get added bluetooth controls, custom pour speeds and capsule replacement reminders.
- Coravin Pivot: The ingenious model combines the Pivot Stopper and Pivot Device to preserve the remains of your bottle for as long as four weeks, ensuring that the last glass is just as amazing as the first.
- Coravin Sparkling: Arriving in Australia in September, this new device will preserve the flavour and bubbles in your favourite Champagne and sparkling wines for up to two weeks.
Not sure which Coravin is right for you? Compare the features here.
Yes, there’s an up-front investment, but in the long-term, you’ll save both wine and money!
THREE WAYS CORAVIN CAN CHANGE YOUR WINERY EXPERIENCES AND RESTAURANTS
1. Sell more premium wines by the glass
Many of Australia’s top wine bars and restaurants have long been proponents of Coravin. With it, you can extend your wine list to include more premium options without fear of wastage.
If you’re a distributor, Coravin also allows you to sample more wines in the trade and introduce new releases.
2. Save on sample costs and reinvent the wine experience
Our Mastermind clients have seen the benefits of Coravin in their cellar doors. You can raid the cellar to compare different vintages and add new experiences to your tasting programs. It’s ideal when you’re trying to upsell to your more expensive ranges and offer more choice.
3. Assess your tasting samples
If you’re a wine writer or a blogger, this tool is incredibly useful for your samples. In this oldie-but-goodie video, watch what Robert Parker had to say about how he uses Coravin for the rigours of assessing wine.
If you’d like us to put you in contact with the Coravin team in Australia, reach out! We’d be happy to make an introduction. Alternatively, explore the Coravin website for more information.