Seeking Advice: Fix Coravin 1000 or Switch to Pungo?

Hello fellow wine enthusiasts,

I’m at a crossroads with my wine preservation system and could really use your collective wisdom. I’ve been using a Coravin Model 1000 since 2013, but I’m out of capsules, and my needle needs replacing yet again. It seems the needles aren’t as durable as they used to be, and the capsules are becoming increasingly expensive. Also, I’ve observed that wines I stored horizontally have tended to leak after a while, leading me to question the effectiveness of Coravin in preserving wine “forever” as some claim.

So I’m contemplating whether to: (a) Fix my Coravin 1000, which would involve buying more capsules and replacing the needle (which I’ve had to do multiple times, with the last needle collapsing completely), or (b) Switch to a Pungo, which seems to have become rather obscure (and as far as I can tell haven’t been discussed on the board in many years) , but appears to offer several advantages (non-proprietary capsules, low pressure storage, more efficient, etc)

Before I make a decision, I would love to hear your experiences and advice. Specifically

  • The durability and cost-effectiveness of Pungo compared to Coravin.
  • Any personal observations on the effectiveness of Pungo in preserving wine quality over time.
  • How Pungo handles wine storage, especially with regards to preventing leaks in horizontally stored bottles.
  • Any other pros or cons I haven’t thought about

Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

Scroll down to post 143. That’s enough for me to never consider owning a Pungo. Well…that and the fact that i love my Coravin and don’t even know if they make the Pungo anymore.