The Coravin Wine System is Worth the Investment—and Could Actually Save You Money

Now I know what you’re initially thinking—of course she picked the most expensive accessory to reign king. But the reality is, when it comes to the Coravin, money talks. Though unlike most other wine accessories—many of which cost a pretty penny—the Coravin not only goes above and beyond for the price, but you may actually make your money back in the long term, despite the hefty initial investment. Hear me out.

First of all, let’s break down what the Coravin is, how it works, and what exactly its purpose is. In short, the Coravin is a wine preservation system, meaning that it allows you to access your favorite wines in bottle without ever having to pull their corks. The machine’s ultra-thin needle pierces through the top of a wine cork, then pulls the wine through said cork via argon gas without ever needing to remove the closure. The result? Your wine in the glass, as well as a near-full bottle of wine with the intact cork still in its original position.

Wine is a living product, and once a bottle’s cork is pulled, the lifespan of said juice begins to quickly dissipate. With the Coravin, you’re able to pour various amounts of wine from the same bottle over a longer period of time, without ever having to commit to opening—or drinking—a full bottle. 

As a professional, it’s obvious why I’ve found this system incredibly helpful. When it comes to tasting an extensive number of wines, one is able to do so without having to dump copious amounts of precious juice down the drain (a solid win in my book). However, from a consumer standpoint, the benefits go even further. For starters, most of us aren’t downing a full bottle of wine on the daily. With the Coravin, you can simply pour as much as you want guilt-free, without ever feeling like you need to drain a whole bottle to get your money’s worth. This is the obvious plus.

Secondly, for those with at-home cellars/wine fridges, the Coravin allows you to enjoy some of your precious bottles over a longer period of time without ever having to commit to opening them on one specific occasion. Say you’re curious to see how a certain bottle of Syrah pairs with a number of dishes. Simply prep the meals as you normally would over the coming days or weeks and try the wine accordingly. Not only will you be able to revisit the wine numerous times, you’ll also avoid the need to buy multiple bottles—see where the making your money back over time bit comes in?

Which leads me to my last point: who exactly would benefit from the Coravin? Although many tend to believe that the product is meant for wine professionals or serious collectors, I believe that wine lovers of all ages, knowledge levels, and experience would reap the benefits of this preservation system. No matter the price points of the wines that you’re drinking, the feeling of not needing to pop a cork, commit to a full bottle, or “get your money’s worth” is pretty priceless across the board to me. Note: While numerous models exist (the current model is the Timeless Eleven), the basic function of the product remains the same.

Are there flaws? Sure. The Coravin isn’t faultless, and wines opened via Coravin still do have an expiration date, albeit, they’re much longer than those with pulled corks. Perhaps the biggest downfall of the product is its hefty price tag, as well as the need to replenish the machine’s cartridges, though I’ve found the payoff—and money saved not needing to buy significantly more bottles—to be completely worth it.

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Vicki Denig is a wine, spirits, and travel journalist based between New York and Paris. Her writing regularly appears in major industry publications, including Liquor.com, WineSearcher, Decanter, and beyond. Vicki also works with a prestigious rolodex of monthly clients, including Paris Wine Company, Becky Wasserman & Co, Corkbuzz, Provignage, and beyond. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine. When not writing, Vicki enjoys indoor cycling classes and scoping out dogs to pet in her local parks.