Don't Waste an Open Bottle - Use Wine Vacuum Storage

Recently, I purchased a new and revolutionary wine accessory that enables you to not only decant your wine to enhance flavors and aromas, but then allows you to preserve the remaining wine for you to enjoy later.  The V-1 Decanter by Metrokane is the world?s first wine vacuum storage decanter designed by Ed Kilduff of Pollen Design.  I purchased the V-1 from International Wine Accessories.

The uniquely designed wine storage decanter, inspired by the shape of NASA?s Apollo Command Module, is individually hand-blown from crystalline quartz and is lead-free.  The secret to this wine preservation marvel is the Vacuum Stopper that contains an analog gauge that visually shows when the proper amount of vacuum has been achieved, while using the manual pump to remove air from the decanter preventing over oxidation and ruining the remaining wine.

The process is so simple:

1. Insert the Vacuum Stopper into the decanter. There?s no need to exert a lot of pressure when putting it in the decanter.  (Please note:  Never use the vacuum stopper in any decanter other than the V-1),
2. Place the manual vacuum pump on the stopper,
3. Remove the air from the decanter using the pump until the Vacuum Gauge reaches the ?red zone?.

I tested the V-1 under several conditions and found it to perform unfailingly.  First, I decanted a beautiful bottle of superior Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I?d previously enjoyed.  After tasting the decanted wine I followed the simple vacuum procedures and left the decanter in a cool, dimly lit place.  Every day I checked the vacuum gauge to be certain a good seal was being maintained (it didn?t move a bit).

After five days I released the vacuum seal and tasted the wine again.  There was no discernable difference in the quality of the wine.  The decanting had done its job of aerating to improve the wine?s character and the vacuum seal had prevented the damaging effects of over oxidation.  On subsequent tests I even set the vacuum sealed decanter aside for 10 days only to find that the wine was just as wonderful as when I first uncorked it.

I could not be more pleased with how this unique wine decanter performed.  With this wine accessory, you don?t have to feel guilty uncorking a great bottle of wine expecting to either drink the entire bottle or allow the remaining wine to be wasted from over oxidation.

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- Michael Zanatta
Michael is a freelance writer and wine connoisseur whose family vineyards are in the Veneto region of Italy.

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