I love the experiments, Gary! I would like to see some psychology experiments, too. For example: Why are blind tastings recommended? Is is because we taste what we expect to taste? What would happen if somebody screwed with your expectations by misidentifying the wines (say, by pouring some of the wines into empty bottles that had incorrect but plausible labels)? Would you discern the same characteristics as when the wines were correctly labeled? (And by “you” I don’t mean specifically you, of course. I’m sure that we are all affected by our expectations.)

The Clef du Vin website doesn’t tell what metals are in their product. They say only, “What does the alloy contain? The answer forms the basis of four international patents.” However, I have found a number of websites that recommend using copper or silver to correct wines that are “reduced” and have sulfur-derived off-smells (e.g., burnt rubber; see http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa060120.phtml). Tom Ciocco also talks about reduced wines (http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/02/12/reduction-augment-your-understanding/), but he doesn’t mention copper or silver.

Great show, Gary!

Gary- Do you have stock in the Clef du Vin?

Gary, you are still the best tease! How long will we suffer before knowing how to get the ‘bands?!?!
Great episode. I know no lurkers. Sorry.

Hmmmm Gadgets…Those gadgets in the Wine World are kinda of like the Pet Rock from back in the day…You buy them and they sit on a shelf (if there lucky) somewhere in the house…I say put the money (Benjamin’s) on the shelf instead…Or heck put it in your kids Piggy Bank.

Gary….do a 5 to 8 minute show would ya man, one time…like the old days…lol.

I’m with KAHUNA try it with a penny, less expensive too!

I bet I could do some analysis on this thing and figure out the exact composition. Whats funny is that the handle probably costs more to make than the little disc. I am guessing their materials are practically free and they make $90 of profit off these things.
It looks like the major component is copper and there are other trace metals in the alloy probably. The tartaric acid in the wine reacts with the cuprous oxide on the surface and in turn, oxidizes the wine.
Gary, youve gotta do an ep. where you dip various (washed!) coins into the wine to see what happens.

Penny! Penny!! Penny!!!

At least we can all put our money back in our wallets, but at the same time, I’m sure some of us are disappointed because we love our gadgets, don’t we. Anyway….I’m over it.

I am the biggest lurker in the WORLD and will never divulge my identitiy – NEVR, Ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, NEVR. You can’t catch me copper!

Which did a better job the wine on the roof or the clef?

Yo Gary !!!

You tink dat Clef du Vin gizmo is good, I
gotta VooDoo Doll I wanna sell ya……..
🙂

Your observation that the little toy was clearly affecting the oxidation of the wine is consistent with the claims posted on the official clef du vin website: “The wine will be oxidising during its evolution, and some do it faster than others. Moreover this phenomenon is increased after the bottle has been opened. This will considerably change the wineâ??s quality for better or for worse. By using the Clef du Vin you will be able to accelerate maturing in order to work out the laying down potential, knowing that one second of contact is equivalent to one year of â??ageingâ? (of oxidation-reduction).”

So basically, if anything other than oxidation is occuring as a wine ages, this product will fail to reproduce those other changes.

I remember seeing another product in a skymall magazine that claimed to do something similar, though it claimed it could do it for all spirits (e.g. scotch) by using a magnet to “align the molecules” or some malarky like that. I’d love to see you test that one, (I’m digging for a link but can’t seem to find any info on it, I’ll post again if I find it).

Hey Gary; great as always!
I own a wine magnet; different principle, and it works! I don’t use it often, as I usually like the wines as they are and this product does not claim to “age” wine as the oxidizer you tested. What I have found that it does in blind tastings with multiple friends is: softens tannins in harsher red wines, particularly young and less expensive reds; and lessens the “sweetness” in certain whites; such as rieslings (german). There is a definite effect, and I would encourage you to test it; about $40.
I am the only lurker I know; but I do try–the wristband photo will be sent this weekend! slainte!

QOTD: My fiancee Karyn George certainly has some gumption to meet you personally in LA, yet still be a lurker…

Funny to see you count in Russian! Gary, were you one of those kids that when their parents talk to them in their native tong they respond back in English??? I get a feel you were… 😉

Excellent episode. I may actually go try one just to see what it does to various types of wines.

I was the only lurker I know, that I know of anyway :).

Nice show Mr. V.
I will not part with $100. for one of those.
How about a show or update on the shipping laws to different states? How that all stands. I am from Ma. and would love to buy from Wine Library but still can’t.
Hey the Pats look oh so good this year.You must be a little scared.
L

Thanks for doing such a great job. No Clef du Vin for me. Any chance you can ship to Hawaii?

Thanks for the show Gary. I’ll buy $100 worth of wine insteasd of the Clef.

great show gary. You certainly will not judge something until you try it.

Long time lurker comes out! Nice Job Gary! I have been watching & buying a lot of wine from WL for 10 months now. I would not buy that device – but sounds like a great marketing job. Thought you would enjoy this email I received this morning from a friend. Do not know the Validity of it, but I got a laugh on the Chard $2 buck chuck – – – 98pts in the Best of Class from the Cali state Fair????

CALIFORNIA BUSINESS MINUTE

$2 Buck Chuck Wins!
07-13-07

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

The California wine industry maybe reeling from yesterdayâ??s announcement that the Charles Shaw 2005 California Chardonnay, a $1.99 â??Two-Buck Chuckâ?? (made by Bronco Wine Company and sold through Trader Joeâ??s) was judged the â??Best Chardonnay from California at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition.

The wines are judged in a blind taste test. The wine received 98 points, a double gold and the accolades of â??Best of California and Best of Classâ??

The critics will scorn the decision, the consumer will certainly be amused but the other higher priced wine producers will cringe as the industry that had recently recovered from an over supply that subsequently created the concept of selling wine at â??very low pricesâ?? for a limited time (hence the nickname) to reduce the volume of the supply now must proceed with how to position and promote their wines against a $2 buck chuck and its award winning ways.

While I am not a wine connoisseur, the old adage that you cannot judge a book by its cover seemingly draws a parallel here, in that it seems to be apparent you cannot judge a wine by its price. Cheers!

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.

For further information contact Tim Johnson at 916-717-8284 or at econone@sbcglobal.net

Thanks for testing the Clef du Vin. My curiosity was about to get the best of me. I had already called one of the catalogue companies that have been selling the product, but the sales person said they hadn’t actually tried it. I told them that bordered on unethical since the ad stated that the catalogue company endorsed the product. She by-passed this by saying they would try it and let me know what they thought. Of course, I never heard back. Anyway….you saved me $99. Thanks! Intellectually, I think most of us knew that something this simple couldn’t possibly duplicate the incredibly complex chemical changes that created the aged wine aromas and flavors….so complex that the most experienced wine technicians and scientists in the world can’t even get close to explaining all that happens in aged wine.

Thanks for testing the Clef du Vin. My curiosity was about to get the best of me. I had already called one of the catalogue companies that have been selling the product, but the sales person said they hadn’t actually tried it. I told them that bordered on unethical since the ad stated that the catalogue company endorsed the product. She by-passed this by saying they would try it and let me know what they thought. Of course, I never heard back. Anyway….you saved me $99. Thanks! Intellectually, I think most of us knew that something this simple couldn’t possibly duplicate the incredibly complex chemical changes that created the aged wine aromas and flavors….so complex that the most experienced wine technicians and scientists in the world can’t even get close to explaining all that happens in aged wine.

There’s an idea … tastin’ Mollydooker and makin’ pancakes!

Nice show, Gary! Seems like a very fair review.