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No wine drinker likes pouring the remnants of a good bottle down the drain, especially in this economy.

But what to do when you open a bottle to have one glass and then have a bunch of leftover wine that's just waiting to go bad?

There are plenty of wine-preservation systems on the market, from vacuum pumps to sprays of nitrogen and other gases that purportedly keep wine fresh for days. Some new wine-preservation products were on display at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium trade show, which ran recently at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The trade show is geared more toward winemaking and grape-growing technologies, from the latest in pest control and fertilizers to high-end barrels and sleek bottling lines. Consumer wine goods don't get much play at the show, which hosted 630 vendors this year. But one of the most buzzed- about booths was run by Wine Shield, an Australian company that claims it can keep a bottle of opened wine fresh for up to five days.

The Wine Shield is a small, light-weight disk that's inserted into a bottle after a glass or two have been poured. The disk is designed to create a barrier between the wine and oxygen, which we breathe but can ruin wine with extended exposure. Oxygen causes chemical reactions that can make wine look ugly and taste worse.

The Wine Shield uses bubble wrap-style textures in the middle of the disk to keep it afloat. Fringed edges help the Wine Shield adapt to different bottle shapes, be it a slim riesling bottle or broad Burgundy bottle.

"This stops almost all the air that gets into wine," said Barry Rees, inventor of the Wine Shield, in front of his booth at Unified. "Our product locks the nose in, and also the flavor and color."

Sounds good, especially for the price. A six-pack of Wine Shields costs $5.95 through www. getwineshield.com. Compare that with about $40 for a rechargeable wine-preservation system sold by the Sharper Image, which vacuum-seals wine bottles. The Wine Shield has also received some positive testimonials from wine professionals, including master sommelier Emily Wines.

But how well does the Wine Shield really work?

Wine Buzz nabbed one of the samples being passed out from the Wine Shield booth and put it to work. The test bottle was a Barricas 2009 Malbec, a juicy and youthful wine that was certainly sturdy enough for this experiment.

The Wine Shield staff made it all look so easy at Unified. The Wine Shield comes with a forklike device that helps twist the product into the bottle -- but this process didn't work so smoothly the first time I tried it. Getting the hang of inserting a Wine Shield without it sticking to the side of the bottle definitely takes a little practice.

The wine smelled fruity and concentrated before the Wine Shield was inserted, with big flavors of dark fruits and licorice. And then I let it sit for nearly three days with a Wine Shield floating on top.

Even with extended oxygen exposure, the color held up well and without hints of browning or other oxidation. As for the taste, the rich flavors were still evident, though not as robust as the pour from a fresh bottle. The mouth feel felt lighter than Day One, but overall this bottle was drinkable if not perfectly preserved. I'm still not sure I got that Wine Shield in quite right.

Now, here's a quick look at a couple of other wine-preservation products that were on display at Unified:

PlatyPreserve

WHAT IT DOES: Think of Platy- Preserve as a high-tech canteen for wine. Developed by a company that specializes in outdoor goods, the PlatyPreserve holds 800 ml -- just over a standard bottle of wine -- and minimizes oxygen exposure. The creators claim it can keep wine "enjoyable" up to six months, and it's good for backpacking, concerts and other outdoorsy activities.

COST: $9.99 each, $29.95 for four-pack

VERDICT: The staff at the Platy- Preserve booth poured samples of Kenwood 2008 Yulupa Cabernet Sauvignon, which were said to have been stored in a PlatyPreserve bottle for two weeks. I tried samples on two occasions and the PlatyPreserve seemed to be working well, though the wine was a touch vinegary. A typical bottle open two weeks would taste pretty rank, but relatively speaking, these samples were still drinkable.

Enomatic Wine Serving Systems

WHAT IT DOES: Designed for wine bars and restaurants, Enomatic wine- preservation uses argon and nitrogen gas, plus pneumatic pistons for keeping oxygen locked out and wines fresh for up to 30 days. They're geared for business owners who know that throwing out wine isn't good for the bottom line. Customers benefit from not being served tired wine and getting their money's worth at a restaurant or bar.

COST: $5,000 and up

VERDICT: These systems are brand new, and samples weren't being poured in the booth, so we'll have to wait for a full review. Meanwhile, look for a new series of Enomatic dispensers for olive oil bottles.

Copyright (c) 2011, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.  A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

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