Australian invents wine-preserving gadget

An Australian wine preserving invention that keeps open wine at ‘restaurant quality’ is set to hit the market.

The Wine Shield is a small circular disk that’s rolled and inserted into a bottle of wine after the first glass is poured.

The device sits on the surface of the wine to block oxygen, slowing the oxidation for several days and preserving both the aroma and taste of the wine for up to five days.

The gadget, by Wine Preserver Holdings, was initially designed to help reduce the amount of wine that’s wasted by restaurants.

Barry Rees, the designer of the product, told the AFR average Australian restaurant can throw out $10,000-$20,000 of spoiled wine each year.

The disk fits into 80% of bottles on the market, is made from safe, recyclable plastic and has a retail price of $1.00. Rees expects at least 20 companies will sign up for distribution rights by the end of the year.