No more souring and lees! "Sommeliart" allows you to pour wine without removing the cork

In the absence of a companion to finish the bottle, lightweight wine lovers must face the dilemma over whether to pour another glass and risk hangover or to put the cork back on and risk deterioration, since bottled wine rapidly oxidise and is considerably degraded within a few days after opening.

The problem can be solved now with this elegant device called "Sommeliart", developed by Sommeliart Lab. and Nittoku. "Sommeliart" is a first-in-the-world wine pourer to pour wine without removing the cork, which allows you to keep the wine fresh as if it's never been opened.

Read on for details and pics.
(Japanese)Sommeliart Official Website
http://sommeliart.com/

"Sommeliart" uses commercially available cylinder of compressed nitrogen for wine, stashed discreetly in the wooden box. You can pour without tilting the bottle so no lees will come out, even from a vintage bottle.

Looks elegant enough for a sommelier to handle in posh restaurants.

It's an instrument rather than a machine, using no electricity. Easily operated and compact enough for household use, and of course gives great advantages to restaurants that serve wine by the glass. The bottle can be detached from the box and held in a wine cooler.

Weighs about 2kg without gas cylinder, measures 130mm(w) × 200mm(d) × 440mm(h). Comes with an instruction DVD. To be retailed online at 178,500 yen (about $2,000) excluding tax and shipping rate. Also to be available at wine shop Cave de Re-Lax, Toranomon, and winery Rue de Vin located in Tomi, Nagano. Sounds a bit too pricey for regular households, but must be appealing enough for wine enthusiasts and restaurants.

You can see the device at work in five restaurants managed by Asahi Breweries: Ristorante La Ranarita, Beer Restaurant Flamdoll, Salon Tsukiakari, Usquebaugh Showa Street, Nihonbashi and Usquebaugh Minamiaoyama.