Wine preserver

A utensil that removes excess oxygen remaining in an opened bottle of wine in order to preserve the flavor of the wine for a longer length of time. As wine is exposed to air it oxidizes and causes the wine to lose its flavor. Several common methods are available which include pressurized spray devices filled with chemicals and vacuum pumps with rubber bottle stoppers. The pressurized method is used to spray a layer of nitrogen, carbon dioxide and argon gases into the air space within the bottle, effectively replacing the air with the inert gases, which serve as a blanket to cover the surface of the remaining wine in order to keep air from entering the wine. A second method uses a pump and rubber stopper to remove the excess air. The rubber stopper is inserted into the bottle opening and a small plastic pump is placed above and securely around the stopper, with the head of the pump forcing against and opening the head of the stopper, without allowing air to enter. The handle of the pump is then pulled up and pushed down repeatedly, thus removing 50% to 75% of the excess air by partially creating a vacuum within the space above the wine. Since opened wine cannot be kept for long periods of time, it is best to consume the opened wine within days of opening before it becomes too acidic to drink.
Category:Wine glossary