08/29/07 Nitrogen Gas

Welcome to Vine to wine this is your host Linda Moran. Today we are answering a question from the email. A listener writes to ask "& what are those canisters I see being used to preserve wine after it is opened?" Preserving wine once it has been open is a concern for many of you. The canister mentioned by the listener is a rather ingenious little device. It is a can of nitrogen gas. Using the same type of process the wineries use when making wine in huge stainless tanks. The tank is never completely full so they fill the space that would naturally be occupied by oxygen, with nitrogen or CO2, as oxygen will break wine down. Because nitrogen and CO2 are heavier than oxygen, they form a layer to protect the wine from the oxygen. These gases do not affect the wine it just protects it. So the creators of Wine Preserver made cans of a spray gas with a tube coming from the nozzle and you simply stick it into the half-full bottle and give it a few bursts. The wine should last up to a week. The canisters sell for about eleven dollars and you can buy them at many wine shops and in some winery tasting rooms or gift shops. They are said to contain over 120 uses. That could last forever at my house. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.