V1 Vacuum Decanter

[budrichard]

This product http://www.metrokane.com/site_files/product/v1.aspx promises that by establishing a vacuum in your decanter, that somehow your wine will last longer. Since air is mostly nitrogen (78%), an inert gas for the most part, its the oxygen partial pressure (21%) in air that one wants to reduce. The website doesn't tell one what pressure reduction the device is capable of but having worked with both low and high vacuum systems, it would be a good guesstimate that at the most the end state is no more than 25% of atmospheric pressure. Henry's Law tells us that the soluability of a gas in a liquid is proprotional to the partial pressure of the gas in contact with the liquid and making an assumption that the chemical reactions caused by oxygen in wine is directly proportional to the concentration of oxygen in the wine, it would appear that this product cannot offer much of a reduction in oxygen reaction unless the left over wine reacts completely with all the oxygen left after the vacuum is formed. In any event the wine is still altered.

Phones calls to Metrokane did not result in being to contact anyone for an answer to the pressure reduction that this device is capable of.

Anyone purchased this device or have any input? -Dick

[tim]

Dick,

I am naive enough to assume that one use of a decanter is to accelerate the maturing/aging of a young wine by exposing it to more oxygen.

You might assume that decanter results would be similar to the bottle preservation systems, although the higher surface area in a decanter should be considered.

Consumer Reports (Dec 2006, p.35) had a group of experts blind taste wines using different preservation systems. They were not impressed with any of the systems and recommended a cork and refrigeration for up to a week.

Cook's Illustrated (Mar/Apr 2005, p. 32) tested various systems and recommended the Vacu Vin. They updated their tests at a later date and recommended transferring wine to smaller plastic bottles as equally effective.

Tim

[tkerby]

Would you chill red overnight to keep it or would you leave it at room temperature? I'm not sure whether temperature cycling does more damage than faster oxidisation.

I'm almost tempted to use my Isi Whipper to squirt nitrous oxide into the top of the bottle before putting the normal cork / screwcap back. Might be preferable

[docsconz]

If the wine is good it is not an issue If there is any leftover it goes into the cooking cuvee.

[budrichard]

I have always put the cork back in and put whatever except Port in the fridge. After a day or two its for cooking, after a few more days its down the drain. Sparklers are for drinking and the next day have little mousse no matter what the closure.-Dick

[slkinsey]

They say:

Pour your wine into this decanter because it will "aerate" the wine. Okay, so far so good. It is generally accepted that aeration has certain beneficial effects on wine. Another word for "aerate" is "oxygenate."

Then they say:

You can use our special vacuum cork to suck all the air out of the decanter, thus preserving your wine. Okay. Well, it is also generally accepted that vacuuming out an opened bottle helps to minimize spoilage to the tune of a day or two.

Here is what is ridiculous and stupid about this product:

Once you pour the wine out of the wine bottle and into the decanter, it is already oxygenated to a certain extent. No amount of vacuuming out the airspace in the decanter is going to "un-oxygenate" the wine. And oxygenation is what makes the wine go stale after a few days. In effect, they are saying: "Oxygenate your wine by pouring it into our decanter. If you have any left over wine in the decanter, protect it from the effects of oxygenation by vacuuming out the remaining air in the decanter."

Personally, I'm holding out for a V1 Vacuum Decanter with built-in Wine Clip. I'm totally going for the crystal pyramid wine cabinet to store it in, too.