Kooper's Tavern to unveil new "wine preservation system"
The reason why "wine preservation system" is in quotes is because it's not really a system. But it is notable.
In a mere two weeks time, Kooper's Tavern (1702 Thames St.) will introduce a new menu and wine list. They will also start using a new "wine preservation system," according to operations manager Bill Irvin.
Basically, the "system" involves spraying a product called Winelife into the top of every open wine bottle before re-corking it.
WineLife is some kind of heavier-than-air gas that is clinically proven to preserve opened bottles of wine ...
"If you open a bottle of wine and put the cork back in, it changes daily," Irvin said. "By the third day it's bad. This gas keeps oxygen away from the wine."
Funky stuff.
I'm interested to see the new wine list. I hope it includes a few malbecs, which have become a favorite for Amie and me.
Ever heard of a malbec? It's a red wine that comes from Mendoza, Argentina. If you like smoother, drier red wines with a touch of spice, you ought to try a malbec.
(Sun photo of a wine tasting at Kooper's back in 1999)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Where is my wine on tap?
Didn't ask for a dime. Two dollars.
I want my two dollars!
Posted by: AC-M | April 9, 2009 2:12 PM
oooo good point! I forgot they were gonna have wine on tap. i'll call em back tomorrow and find out what happened to the wine on tap.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | April 9, 2009 2:14 PM
Try the Alamos Mendoza Sellecion. Very, very tasty and great value.
Posted by: Adam | April 9, 2009 2:23 PM
Alright, Mendoza. I will give you the Maxwell Circuit if you put down my daughter.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | April 9, 2009 3:12 PM
Wine on tap is quickly becoming the jackalope of bar lore.
Posted by: Evan | April 9, 2009 3:56 PM
Ave Malbec is pretty good too. My experience with wine preservation systems is that nothing really works all that well. The best I've found is: Right when I open a bottle, pour half into an empty half bottle, cork that, and put it away. Sam you could probably go on for a while about how restaurants just leave wine laying around all night, then serve it by the glass the next day.
Posted by: Gary | April 9, 2009 4:53 PM
My wine preservation system works pretty well. The wine stays pretty good for about 2 - 3 hours. By then I'm done anyway....
Posted by: TS | April 9, 2009 5:04 PM
Not really anything new. There are quite a few products on the market that do the same thing and quite a few restaurants that do the same thing. Bravo to Kooper's for deciding to advertise something that many places restaurants just do without thinking about it.
Kind of reminds me of Jack's Bistro advertising sous-vide like it's something new.
Posted by: LGood | April 9, 2009 8:42 PM
Hah, wine preservation.
best way to preserve wine is to drink it. you open a red, let it breathe for a while then drink. if your drinking alone....welll,
but if you have someone to share it with you, good chance you wont have to worry about preserving it.
plus, how do we get holding on to something servable by Pre- serving it?
seems to me if you pre serve something, it's gone by the time you want to serve it for real....
for real. as far as restaurants saving partial bottles for re-use, the best way i've found to "preserve" wine is to remove all the air from the bottle and cork it. vacuum = little decay. they make "systems" that are designed for this, and you are not introducing some other chemical into the bottle (not sure what this "gas" is, but i'm not so sure i'm into having it sit in my wine bottle for any period of time. liquid is not impervious to gas.)
Posted by: ss2 | April 10, 2009 10:33 AM
At Metro Gallery - I care very much about the wine being fresh! So at the end of every night I take it upon myself to finish the open bottles. Only the best for my customers!!
Posted by: Sarah | April 10, 2009 10:55 AM
"At Metro Gallery - I care very much about the wine being fresh! So at the end of every night I take it upon myself to finish the open bottles. Only the best for my customers!!"
LOL,
See! now THAT's what i'm talking about!
Posted by: ss2 | April 10, 2009 11:54 AM
Agreed. Can't go wrong with a malbec. It is my favorite type of wine. Also one of new favs is Israeli wines. Def try it.
Posted by: BaltBabs | April 10, 2009 12:04 PM
If your new wine list and menu is a success and you find this "wine preservation system" too slow please have a look at the Vinfinity wine preservation system.
It is manufactured in the US.
www.vinfinitysystem.co.uk
Posted by: Ronan | April 27, 2009 10:05 AM