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Innovator of the Year Coravin aims to "change the way the world drinks wine" | 2021 Wine Star Award for wine lovers Author: Sean P. Sullivan Photo courtesy of Coravin

Coravin is a wine gadget that changes everything. It all started in 2000, when inventor and wine lover Greg Lambrecht had an epiphany.

"I realize that the whole way we consume wine is limited by sales," Lambrecht said. "I want to be able to explore through taste or glass at my own speed, without having to think about when to return to that bottle again."

Over the next ten years, he created a series of prototypes, putting his engineering degree and medical device industry experience into practice. In 2011, Lambrecht founded Coravin in Massachusetts.

Coravin's original solution was elegant. An uncorked needle is inserted through the cork into the bottle. It removes the wine and replaces it with inert gas to prevent oxidation. Look! Wine lovers can enjoy it, while the rest of the bottle can be kept indefinitely.

Since launching the first device in 2013, Coravin has been committed to making its products “faster, simpler, more fun, independent of closed, static or sparkling”. This includes four products launched this year.

Coravin Pivot is an easier-to-use system that uses stoppers and pouring spouts to store wine for up to a month. Below $100, its barriers to entry are also low.

"It's suitable for any closure, and it's very fast. I like it," Lambrecht said.

At the same time, Coravin's Pivot Pro is for internal deployment.

"This is a virtuous circle," he said. "You can provide better wine by the glass without wasting, you can earn more income with higher profit margins, and customers are happier and have memories they will never lose."

The company also launched Model Three Pro, which is a professional version of its original Timeless system.

The most impressive thing is that Coravin launched a sparkling wine system this fall. After eight years of development, the Coravin Sparkling stopper is suitable for anything from split bottles to large bottles ("I have to tell you, it takes a lot of work," Lambrecht admits). After pouring, the device puts the carbon dioxide back into the bottle under a certain pressure, keeping the wine for up to a month.

Consumers who currently restrict fireworks to special occasions can now enjoy a cup any day of the year. Companies with limited options for pouring wine by glass can provide any amount of wine without worrying about the wine becoming weak. Lambrecht said that early adopters for internal deployments are flocking.

"Someone said to me,'If we knew that people wanted to drink Ruinart in a large bottle so much, we would open one!'"

This change in consumer and business behavior is at the core of Coravin's success. The company's mission has always been to "change the way the world drinks wine". it has. For this reason, Coravin is recognized as the Innovator of the Year.

Ross Knoll Vineyard 2020 Cuvée Chelsea Rosé of Calera Pinot Noir (Green Valley)

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