Fresh tips for keeping open bottle vibrant

A recent Wine Q&A tackled the subject of vacuum pumps that claim they can suck the air out of a half-drunk bottle and keep the remaining wine fresh for several days. After I expressed my own frustration with trying to use these devices, the mail floodgates opened.

About an equal number of readers agreed and disagreed with my rant, but two advocates for the pump offered some excellent advice on how to "prep" the thing so it has the best chance of success.

From Hansville, in Kitsap County, came this step-by-step analysis: "I first test the rubber 'corks' by pulling a vacuum in a bottle filled with water and after three or four days see if a vacuum still exists. This can easily be determined by squeezing the cork and listening for the inrush of air, or not. I discard those corks that don't hold a vacuum."

(Aha! Some 'corks' fail right out of the box.)

"I also thoroughly wet the rubber cork before inserting it in the bottle, as this seems to help the seal between cork and bottle. I then place the bottle, vertically, on the floor of a wine cooler kept at 55 degrees, and have found no detectible degradation after two or three days."

(Sounds good to me ... but ... I wonder how many of those wines placed in a 55-degree cooler would last just as long just as they are, without being vacuumed out.)

From reader No. 2, some additional thoughts: "The [pump] started to work for me after a friend gave me a crucial tip. After pumping the air out, lay the bottle on its side so that the stopper is covered. Of course, laying it on its side with an old tired stopper can lead to leakage. When I stop getting the whoosh when I squeeze the stopper, then I replace the stopper."

Paul Gregutt answers questions weekly in the Wine section. He can be reached by e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com.