While both systems help preserve wine and reduce wastage, they serve very different purposes.
If you're wondering which option is best for your venue, whether it's a bar, restaurant, winery, or wine retail store, this comparison will help you understand the strengths of each system.
Coravin was founded in 2011 and revolutionised low-volume wine preservation by allowing users to pour wine without removing the cork. By using a needle and inert gas technology, Coravin has become a favourite among wine collectors, sommeliers, and casual enthusiasts who want to enjoy a glass without committing to opening the entire bottle. The system is widely used in fine dining establishments, wine tastings, and personal collections where oxidation control is the prime objective.
Coravin is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. While the company designs its products in the United States, specific details about their manufacturing locations are not publicly disclosed.
Enomatic was established in 2002 in Italy and is the global leader in automated wine dispensing and preservation systems. Designed for commercial use, Enomatic dispensers not only extend the life of opened bottles but also provide temperature control, portion control, and the potential for an interactive experience for customers.
Enomatic systems are widely used in restaurants, bars, wineries, and wine retail outlets to enhance customer engagement while optimising profitability. It is a professional-grade wine dispensing and preservation system designed for high-volume service environments. These automated dispensers not only preserve wine for up to four weeks but also control serving temperature and provide precise portion control.
Enomatic's wine dispensers are designed and manufactured in Italy – specifically in the heart of Tuscany, just outside of Florence. We have personally visited their factory and met the team.
One of the most overlooked differences between Coravin and Enomatic is the ongoing cost of gas – and the numbers are striking.
Coravin charges ~US$1 per pour in gas costs, regardless of whether you're serving a taste or a full glass. For occasional personal use this is manageable, but for a busy venue serving hundreds of glasses per week, the costs accumulate rapidly.
Enomatic uses large-format gas cylinders readily available from suppliers like Supagas or BOC for approximately $150. The average venue uses one cylinder over six months or more, working out to around $25-29 per month.
| Pours/month | Coravin gas cost | Enomatic gas cost | Monthly saving | Annual saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | $150 | $29 | $121 | $1,452 |
| 300 | $300 | $29 | $271 | $3,252 |
| 500 | $500 | $29 | $471 | $5,652 |
| 1,000 | $1,000 | $29 | $971 | $11,652 |
| 1,500 | $1,500 | $29 | $1,471 | $17,652 |
| 2,000 | $2,000 | $29 | $1,971 | $23,652 |
At 1,000 pours per month – a realistic figure for a busy restaurant or wine bar – an Enomatic system saves nearly $12,000 per year in gas alone compared to Coravin. And the more you pour, the wider that gap grows.
Because Enomatic's gas cost is essentially fixed, the effective cost per pour decreases sharply as volume increases:
| Pours/month | Enomatic gas/pour | Coravin gas/pour |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | $0.06 | $1.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.03 | $1.00 |
| 2,000 | $0.01 | $1.00 |
Our most popular system, the Enomatic Unica Start 8, is priced at $18,500. For venues currently using or considering Coravin, the gas savings alone can pay back the investment surprisingly quickly:
| Pours/ month | Monthly gas saving vs Coravin | Annual gas saving | Breakeven on $18,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $471 | $5,652 | 3.3 years |
| 1,000 | $971 | $11,652 | 19 months |
| 1,500 | $1,471 | $17,652 | 12.5 months |
| 2,000 | $1,971 | $23,652 | ~9.5 months |
For a venue doing 30+ pours per day, the Enomatic Unica Start 8 can pay for itself on gas savings alone in under two years – before factoring in reduced wine waste, labour efficiency, or the upsell revenue that comes from an expanded by-the-glass program.
Choosing between Coravin and Enomatic depends on your needs:
While Coravin is a fantastic innovation for wine preservation in select situations, it is not designed for bulk hospitality service. Enomatic, on the other hand, is purpose-built for high-turnover venues where wine needs to be stored, displayed, and served efficiently.
The economics reinforce this distinction. Coravin's gas costs ~US$1 per pour – every pour, every time. Enomatic's gas costs around $29 per month. For any venue serving more than 30 glasses of wine per day, that difference alone can justify the investment.
If your goal is to minimise wastage, ensure perfect serving conditions, and boost revenue from wine sales, an enomatic system is the right choice.
Interested in learning more about how an Enomatic can transform your wine service? Explore the best wine dispensing solutions for your business here.