How sparkling wine preservation kits work
Kits like those from Coravin or Perlage may seem pricey, but if you frequently indulge in bottles that aren't consumed in one sitting, they could save you money over time. Unlike traditional wine or champagne stoppers, which are typically inexpensive and only prevent bubbles from escaping, preservation kits offer a more advanced solution. They work by reintroducing carbon dioxide into the bottle, restoring the headspace to its original composition and pressure before opening.
Commonly utilized in restaurants and by sommeliers, these kits can prolong the life of your bottle, allowing it to remain fresh for up to a month. They are particularly useful if you enjoy sipping champagne occasionally but don’t always finish the bottle before it loses its fizz. Each kit includes capsules that infuse carbon dioxide to maintain the appropriate gas and pressure levels, so you won’t feel pressured to finish open bottles right away.
How to use a sparkling wine preservation kit
To effectively preserve your bottle, you'll need to do more than just place a standard stopper on it. The specific instructions may vary depending on the brand of preservation kit you choose, but here’s a general outline of the process for preserving your champagne.
Start by inserting a CO2 capsule into your stopper. Next, secure the stopper onto the bottle and lock it in place. After the stopper is attached, place the charger on top of it; you should hear the CO2 being released into the bottle. Keep the charger in position until it signals that the bottle is fully charged, indicating that the original pressure and CO2 levels have been restored. Finally, store your bottle again, and try to consume the remaining contents within the next few days or weeks.
It's crucial to remember that a sparkling wine preservation kit should not be used for regular wine bottles. Introducing CO2 into a standard wine bottle is unnecessary and could be hazardous. Regular wine bottles are not built to handle the pressure associated with champagne or sparkling beverages, which could lead to breakage.
Recommended
How Does A Beer Get Skunky?
Why It's Difficult To Pair Salads And Wine
Don't Bother Ordering Top-Notch Wine On An Airplane
The Absolute Worst Wine Pairing For Raw Fish
Next up