Ten years after launching Coravin, Greg Lambrecht, inventor and founder, will be attending London Wine Fair on May 15 & 16th. We will be offering demonstrations of our world-leading wine preservation devices throughout the show, including Coravin Sparkling™ which perfectly preserves the flavour and effervescence of champagnes and sparkling wines for up to 4 weeks. Visit us at stand C42 or click here to book a meeting with one of the team.
Coravin benefits businesses by boosting profitability, eliminating wastage and facilitating new business opportunities. Our best-in-class products, including the Coravin Professional Range developed specifically for the trade, enables businesses to sample, serve, and enjoy any wine, in any amount, at any time with the option to preserve wines for weeks, months, or even years. We are proud that Coravin is powering some of the world’s best by-the-glass wine programs in restaurants and bars across the globe and used in 75% of the UK’s Michelin Star Restaurants.
Coravin founder, Greg Lambrecht believes the potential for discovery and experimentation in the wine category becomes infinite in a world where consumers have the freedom to select, serve, taste and enjoy any still or sparkling wine, in any amount time, at any time. As such, Coravin now plays an increasingly critical role in unlocking the diversity of the wine category in a world where consumers have become more knowledgeable, experimental and discerning.
The story began when Greg’s wife was pregnant with their first child. No longer able to drink wine with his partner, Greg found himself throwing away oxidized wine. He became determined to find a solution to be able to enjoy the perfect glass of wine, without the fear of wastage. This ambition quickly developed as Greg realized what he was really searching for was a means to be able to drink any wine, in any amount, from any bottle, whenever he wanted, without having to think about when he would return to drinking that bottle again.
Greg put his dual degrees from MIT to work designing and prototyping a device that would allow him to pour wine by the glass. Unlike other wine preservers, which only delay the oxidation of wine, Coravin Timeless encompasses a non-coring Needle which gently passes through the cork. Once the Needle is removed, the cork simply expands back to its normal shape. As wine is extracted through the Needle, it is replaced with pure Argon gas, ensuring oxygen never touches the remaining wine. As a result, the remaining wine stays as fresh as the day it was bottled for weeks, months or even years at a time.
Before launching Coravin, Greg felt it was critical to engage with wine makers to seek their approval and validation of his groundbreaking technology. When renowned wineries across the world began to endorse Coravin’s preservation claims and embrace the tasting and sampling opportunities that the technology made possible, the brand began to go ‘from strength to strength’.
Interest from bars and restaurants soon followed. 67 Pall Mall, London and Tantris, Germany were pioneering accounts offering unprecedented by-the-glass menus powered by Coravin, which soon became an iconic part of their respective business models.
As Coravin began to gain an international reputation, Greg found his technology being deployed in a range of unexpected scenarios. One example was when a stash of wine was discovered in 1885 in Becov castle, Czech Republic. The wines included Chateau d’Yquem vintages from 1892. Greg was called in to assist expert sommeliers in accessing and tasting these bottles. As a result, 133 bottles went on to be valued at $31,000 each.
Over the last decade, the multitude of ways that consumers and trade have found to use and embrace wine exploration made possible by Coravin is a continual source of pride for the Coravin team. Coravin has provided the means to match an occasion or meal with the perfect wine, every time. Guests no longer need to settle for ‘what is open,’ when every bottle becomes a possibility. With Coravin, comparing and enjoying different wines is no longer reserved for special occasions or wine tasting events.
Since launching Coravin timeless a decade ago, the company has since launched two new systems. The Coravin Pivot – which involves removing the cork or stopper and offers 4 weeks preservation, and their latest pioneering technology, Coravin Sparkling. This latest invention offers perfect preservation for any Champagne or sparkling wine for up to 4 weeks after opening.
A decade after launching Coravin, Greg and the team remain as committed as ever to inspiring wine exploration through innovations that give everyone the power of choice. The next decade is set to be just as inspirational... so watch this space!
