If you have a second – go to youtube.com and search the words Vineyard Fresh. The Cleveland Wine School recently hosted an episode of Made Here that featured a wine preservation system called Vineyard Fresh. Housed in an attractive burgundy colored bottle, Vineyard Fresh is actually Argon gas. The bottle has a long nozzle at the top allowing wine drinkers to deliver the gas right into the neck of the bottle. Here’s the good news – Argon is an inert gas so it will not react or mix with your wine. Instead, the gas protects the leftover wine from oxygen (which causes wine to turn) by placing a blanket of Argon at the surface of the wine. With just two quick blasts, your leftover wine is protected for several days. Best bet – cork the wine up immediately and place it in the refrigerator. Whether it is red or white, opened wine should go right into the cooler. The lower temperature slows down the breakdown of the wine and will keep wine fresh for a few extra days. When you are ready to sip the red, simply take it out of the refrigerater and let it warm up on your kitchen counter. Alternatively, plan your wine sipping so there is no leftover wine to worry about…aahh I just showed my hand! Cheers.
Keeping It Fresh
About the Author: Marianne Frantz
A Certified Wine Educator, Marianne holds a Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) of London, and has also earned the Advanced Sommelier qualification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. After successfully participating in an educational competition sponsored by the Wines of Australia in the spring of 2008, Marianne became an educational Ambassador for Wine Australia USA. She is also a Certified Spanish Wine Educator.