The coravin is not something you write about often in sherry circles – sherry wines frequently have screw caps, or media tapones, or other closures, and even if they didn’t sherry wines are generally unbreakable under oxygen, whether for their powerful vinous frame or because they have been so long exposed to the elements, making the coravin unnecessary.

The coravin is nevertheless a fantastic invention. It’s cunning argon gas powered system allows top restaurants to sell us their most treasured wines by the glass and takes some of the guesswork about our own cellaring. But it really comes into its own when, say, it falls into the hands of a guy with a big, well stocked cellar of fantastic wines, fantastic knowledge acquired over many years of consumption and the kind of analytical approach to life for which horizontal and vertical tastings were invented.

Which is why Cora-the-explorer.com is such cracking news for the internet, wine lovers, and wine in general for the stars have in fact aligned in just this manner.

In the interest of objectivity I should declare that I have known the author for going on 20 years and have benefitted enormously over that time from his cellar and generosity. Having said that, it also means I can bear witness: I have seen this man “tasting” wines in depth and on numerous occasions, and while I do not have his breadth of knowledge I can also certify that in relation to those wines I do know a lot about he is fundamentally sound. You could not find a better bloke to drink wines with, to talk about wines with, or to learn from and I wholeheartedly recommend following Cora the Explorer on her travels.