Tech upstart drops smart bottle on US$300b wine industry

New York

FOR wine, the hangover can start as soon as the bottle is opened. Oxygen is toxic to the lovely, inebriating juice, which as every moment passes (letting it "breathe" notwithstanding) becomes something other than intended. On any given night, having to choose between four glasses of wine and none can be a sad disconnect of supply and demand - a truly dismal science.

Marco DiGiulio, a vintner at California's Vintage Wine Estates, can taste degradation in a bottle open just one day. That's why he has such high hopes for Kuvee, a sort of Keurig- style dispenser that goes on sale on Monday and comes with a catalogue of 48 wines, including some of Mr DiGiulio's. The core of the system is a decanter that sells for US$199 and looks like an oversized wine bottle. Ranging in price from US$15 to US$50, the canisters slide into the bottom and click in place. Equipped with a bladder and special valve, the wine can be poured without any oxygen seeping in, and drinkers can swap out a Pinot noir for a Syrah by ejecting one canister and clicking in another. After an initial pour, Kuvee wines will stay fresh for about 30 days.