Coravin has actually launched two new needles: one that is thinner for more delicate corks and one that is bigger and wider for a smoother pour with younger corks.
I have some interest in this device for drinking a bottle over a week or so, but I have no interest in drinking a third of the bottle, ramming a golf tee in the hole, sticking it back in the cellar and hoping for the best in a year.
Thanks for the info Eric, I just looked at the website recently and didn’t take the time to look at the accessories tab. I might try one of those thinner needles as I haven’t attempted to tap any older bottles due to the info fellow berserkers passed on about the problems. I don’t have any issues with the pour I get now so the larger dia needle doesn’t interest me. I’m sure there will be interest from restaurants and wine bars though.
I’m sure Coravin will keep improving, as Eric has mentioned. It does seem to me that these people are just directly ripping off the Coravin. I’m not surprised at the lack of backers.
But if you look at the Pungo timetable, they have been at this for years too. Unfortunate timing for them.
It does seem to me that these people are just directly ripping off the Coravin. I’m not surprised at the lack of backers.
Actually, we’ve been around for a while. Their latest patent references ours. Part of the delay for us was we wanted the manufacturing done in US, which we now do in house. We have customers in Europe and Japan, who prefer to not buy stuff made in China, especially if it’s being sold at a premium price. Our unit is all-metal construction (including the internal mechanism); there’s no chrome plastic or painted plastic.
A lot of people are confused by Kickstarter - is it investing, is it backing? For us, it’s just way to do pre-orders. By far, most of the orders we are getting are outside of Kickstarter.
disclosure: mweinberg and I share last name but no association or relation. I find the Pungo quite interesting and may buy one.
+1
Also, if anyone would like a live demo of the Pungo, we’re in the DC area. Coravin owners are welcome 
I have to chuckle at the “even though it looks like a golf tee, its not actually a golf tee, we make our own with slightly different dimensions”
Good for your guys trying to come up with a better mousetrap, but I would simply make an adapter that lets you use normal argon canisters in a corvain if you are looking for something to machine.
I have to chuckle at the “even though it looks like a golf tee, its not actually a golf tee, we make our own with slightly different dimensions”
The new pins are being made out of stainless, and they look quite a bit different. Further, they actually work because the don’t rely on corks resealing themselves. The apply side pressure, improving the integrity of the seal. Also, there’s only one hole to ever deal with vs having the cork turn into swiss cheese from repeated punctures. But, many of our users just keep the Pungo on the bottle.
Is there a website other than the Kickstarter page? That would help quite a bit, I think.
The site is essentially under construction. We’re planning to be up by Jan with a shopping cart.
I’m certainly interested. I am forever looking for a reliable option to drink a single bottle over the course of a week or two. Currently I use the Skybar One, which seems to work about 75% of the time, for up to a week. The Pungo looks far more promising simply by leaving it on the bottle. I do think you will have a bit of an uphill battle selling people on the cork plugs , but I wish you the best of luck. Personally, I don’t trust any device (this and Coravin included) to extract wine and then preserve the bottle for long-term storage. I know others differ in that view.
How are you selling outside of kickstarter, especially in other countries, if your website isn’t even up and running?
I think there is still a world that exists outside the Internet. Can’t say I’ve checked lately, but I believe on faith that it is still there.
How are you selling outside of kickstarter, especially in other countries, if your website isn’t even up and running?
Word of mouth, friends and family who live and work abroad.
So it’s being sold in stores? Door-to-door? My question still remains, as does this other world you’re talking about.
Hmm. My earlier joke aside, I hope you do really well. Another, similar product will (hopefully) make both the products better and cheaper. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Hmm. My earlier joke aside, I hope you do really well. Another, similar product will (hopefully) make both the products better and cheaper.
Hey no offense what so ever. I’d love to be able to do a demo for you at some point.