An ideal complement to the “Pocket” and “Service” models, this bottle-sized “Clef” will enable you to craft the ideal drinkable age of a given bottle having already determined the optimal amount of ’aging’ time required in a glass.

The Clef du Vin is a measuring instrument that reveals your wines' ageing potential in the blink of an eye.  It works effectively on all types of wines: whites, sparkling, rosés, reds and naturally sweet wines.

With the Clef du Vin you can:

- Accurately gauge how your wines will develop so that you can manage your wine cellar efficiently.
- Instantly reveal the qualities of a wine that has been prematurely uncorked.
- Decide to uncork a young wine without waiting and enjoy it at its best.

How to use:

Dip the dot on Clef du Vin into the wine.  Every second the dot is in contact with the wine is the equivalent of one year's ageing.

1. Pour a glass of wine, taste it and memorise your sensations.
2. Dip the Clef du Vin dot in the wine for one second and then taste again.
3. Continue this process until the taste no longer improves, or begins to turn.
4. Each successive dipping of the Clef du Vin should be added to the previous one (1 second + 1 second equals 2 seconds' contact, which equals two years' ageing).

 1 second = 1 year

 5 seconds = 5 years

 10 seconds =10 years

As the wine retains its quality or improves after repeated contact with the dot (or one single contact lasting a few seconds), that is an indication of how long it can be cellared.
If the wine loses its qualities immediately or after only a few seconds' contact, it has limited-to-no ageing potential and should be drunk shortly.

• The "pocket" and "service" models are calibrated for 100 ml / 3.4 fl. oz.  One second in a 100 ml glass equates to 1 year's ageing.
• The "Bottle" model is calibrated for 750 ml / 25.4 oz.  One second in 750 ml equates to 1 year's ageing.

Cleaning:

Simply rinse the Clef du Vin in hot water.  Do not put in the dishwasher.

Technical explanation:

Wine undergoes a natural oxygen reduction process as it ages in the bottle.  As it matures, it gradually reaches a period of equilibrium when it can best be appreciated (the peak), then it declines, losing its qualities. The Clef du Vin enables this development to be accelerated by reproducing the oxygen reduction mechanism in a controlled, regulated manner.  Acting as a catalyst, it adds nothing to the wine and cannot wear out, so it is guaranteed to be effective for life.

The Clef du Vin does not completely replace the natural ageing of wine.  Rather, it acts on some of the wine’s components: aromatics (esters, ketones, aldehydes…); and gustatory (tannins, acids).  Thus it accelerates the development of aromas and softens the wine's structure.
• The tannins in red wines will soften and their fullness will be expressed.
• The acidity of white whines will be toned down while their fruitiness will be revealed.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. The Clef du Vin will reveal the potential of a good wine, but will not enhance a mediocre or poor wine.

2. Certain wines are excellent when drunk very young, while others must mature for a long time.
 The Clef du Vin lets you gauge when the wine will be at its peak, namely the time when it will naturally be at its very best.
 This peak varies from wine to wine and between grape varieties and vintages, but it is also dictated by your own personal taste.