Smart bottle keeps wine fresher for longer

That not so awful dilemma of feeling obliged to finish an entire bottle of wine before it goes off could be a thing of the past, thanks to a new invention. Kuvée, a smart wine dispenser, keeps the grapegoodness fresh for 30 days by preventing oxygen getting inside your wine.

All youhave to do is insert one of the 50 selected bottles into the Kuvée, which displays the wine’s logo, the grape and alcohol content, and pour. The bottle, which iscurrently seeking backing on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo,is also Wi-Fi-connected. Users can order via the touchscreen or view pairing suggestions.

Mike Tomovich, co-founder of the Boston-based Kuvée, explains why wine from a smart bottle tastes better.

How did you come up with the idea to create Kuvée?

Wine’s rapid oxidation rate is one of the largest barriers in the way of enjoying a bottle of wine. For the average wine lover, opening a single bottle can be a commitment. You either have to drink it in a day or two, or risk pouring it down the drain. Vijay Manwani, Kuvée’s founder, wanted to come up with a technology that could keep the wine from spoiling. Geoff Lansberry and I joined him early on, and decided to create an entirely new kind of wine experience.

What’s the main point of it?

Kuvée opens up the way consumers drink and learn about wine. Currently, wine drinking is dictated by a two to three day oxidation window before wine spoils. This often prevents people from opening a bottle for just a glass and encourages the “I’ll just have what’s open” mentality. Kuvée wines’ 30-day shelf life completely changes how consumers make decisions. They’re able to try multiple wines at one time without worrying about waste, putting an end to the red versus white battle.

How does it work?

Oxidation is what causes wine to degrade, so Kuvée has designed a multi-stage valve system that minimizes the amount of oxygen touching our wine. When a wine is inserted into the bottle, an exterior valve opens and allows the user to pour. A second valve helps keep oxygen out while pouring, thus keeping your wine fresh for up to 30 days.

Additionally, the bottle features a Wi-Fi connected touch screen that shares pairing and serving tips, details on the winery, and how much wine is left inside. The bottle allows users to rank wines, and then makes custom recommendations that can be purchased right from the screen.

What other benefits does it have?

Its packaging is fully recyclable and 40 percent lighter than glass bottles of wine. So there is a significant reduction in transportation-related fuel use, leading to a much lower carbon footprint. Kuvée consumers also produce less waste, since refills are shipped directly to their doors, and their wine stays fresher for longer. Even still, we aren’t trying to replace the traditional glass bottle. We think of it as an additional method for enjoying wine.

Why does a bottle of wine need an Internet connection?

It needs an Internet connection in order to provide information about the wines to the consumer. The internet connectivity also allows users to be served suggestions based on their preferences and order more directly from the bottle.

Do users have to charge it?

Users have to charge Kuvée to use the touch screen and Internet-connected features. However, it does not need to be charged to pour wine. In this connected era, consumers are used to charging multiple gadgets and appliances. We are confident they’ll adopt this same behavior with Kuvée.

What’s next?

We want to be the best at getting people the wine they want and part of that is expanding our portfolio as well.

– By Dmitry Belyaev