People enjoy wine for various reasons, but all know one thing – many wines will start to lose their flavors and aromas after two days. This is due to oxygen entering the bottle which starts the process of oxidation. Properly storing and resealing will only slow the process and are simple ways to keep wine, but there is a way to extend the life of leftover wine up to ten times longer than simply replacing the cork and that is a wine vacuum pump. There are two versions of the wine vacuum pump: (1) is a simple stopper that works with a hand pump, which allows the wine to stay in its original bottle; and (2) a decanter. The wine is transferred to another bottle and vacuum sealed and though it was the original bottle.
A wine vacuum pump removes the air from the bottle of wine, thus slowing deterioration and further oxidation of the wine and helping preserve the “just opened” tasted up to two weeks depending on the make and model of the wine vacuum pump. This article offers four of the highest rated wine vacuum pumps on the market as well as where to purchase them and the average price (note: the prices to do not included shipping and handling).
1. VT-VINOVAC (Suggested retail price $15) – www.vinotemp.com. This hand operated pump comes with two extra stoppers that replace the cork stopper, allowing a person to store two bottles of wine at a time. Simply cap the wine bottle with the stopper, place wine vacuum pump over the stopper and pump to remove air. You will hear a pop when the air has been fully removed. To open, simply push the button on top of the stopper to uncork. This wine vacuum pump will help store wine up to fourteen days longer than just corking alone.
2. Metrokane V1 World’s First Vacuum Decanter Entertainment Outfit (Suggested retail price $155) – www.amazon.com. This kit has it all for the enjoyment of any wine. Its lead free crystal decanter makes a bold statement as well as preserving wine. Just put wine in decanter and use its specially built vacuum pump to preserve the wine once finished. Further, this kit also comes with a cordless wine chiller by Waring, the Rabbit wine corkscrew and tool set. The vacuum decanter can be purchased separately for a suggested retail price of $80, but for the wine drinker this outfit is well worth the price.
3. Rabbit Lever Vacuum Pump (Suggested retail price $30) – www.thewinestand.com. From the makers who brought you the Rabbit corkscrew, this wine vacuum pump offer a great seal with only four pumps, thus less effort for high quality seal. This wine vacuum pump was named the “best vacuum pump” by Fortune Magazine. The Rabbit comes in either black or silver to go with any décor.
4. Houdini Wine Preserver (Suggested retail price $12) – www.thewinestand.com. The cheapest wine vacuum pump that can be found, but do not let the price deceive you. Although it may look like other vacuum pumps on the market, this vacuum pump is ergonomic which allows for an easier pumping motion and boosts something that most do not, you can store your wine horizontally without leaking.
