"Your wine, your choice, your enjoyment - guilt-free individual indulgence, we don’t ask “what should WE have” we ask, “what do YOU want” – Mike Lawton, 2024
Behind the scenes at Coravin, getting to know our customers is something we take pride in. Over the years we've heard thousands of heartfelt stories about how you use your Coravin at home, but rarely do we ever shout about it...until now!
Starting a new chapter of Stories we're honoured to share Mike Lawton's. A treasured member of our Coravin family. Join us as we explore Mike's journey in his own words, from his first encounter with French reds to how Coravin has become integral to his home wine experience.
Early Wine Beginnings: The French Connection
"I’ll start by saying that I’m just an ordinary guy from North Staffordshire, I’m not an expert or a connoisseur but over many years my wife and I have become very clear on what we like to drink, with what and in what context."
Mike continues, "That doesn’t mean our minds are closed to new possibilities, it just means I have “go-to” wines which I know will deliver our version of a fabulous experience.
I worked for a French company for 25 years, over those years in differing roles I formed great friendships and was able to gain deep local insight into southern European cultures and to explore their obsession with the harmony of quality food and wine.
Through my friendships I was able to explore the diversity and subtlety of wine, to identify those which resonated with my palette and to really understand how a wines compliment dishes in different ways.
On my first visit to France, at a business dinner I explained that I did not enjoy red wine – my host took that as a personal challenge and opened several bottles to allow me to experience different regions and different grape varieties. This was the moment my relationship with wine began, since then I’ve been consistently adventurous and curious in exploring wines from around the world."
No More Compromising
"So fast-forward to today, my wife and I enjoy wines both inside and outside the home but appreciate quite different wines which is why I chose to invest in a Coravin Timeless 6.
I’d seen the system in several restaurants and loved the concept of being able to drink a “special” bottle over a time rather than feel that we either had to drink it all or waste it – neither of which is a fulfilling strategy.
I also identified that it would give us the flexibility to not only invest in our individual favourite wines but also to enjoy them precisely when we wanted to rather than one of us compromise.
We really enjoy the flexibility the system gives us to try to pair wines with the food we prepare and being able to do so without the need for compromise or waste – it comes back to my point about “guilt-free individual indulgence”.
At Home with Coravin: What's Your Choice of Wine?
"It’s hard to single out a specific bottle because one variety doesn’t suit all occasions...
I make a point to plan for the wines at Christmas so I’ll use that to respond; for a seafood starter we’ll have a good quality Pouilly-Fume, with the main we’ll have a delicate Pinot Noir and full bodied Bordeaux (Saint Emillion, Puilliac) or a Valpollicella Repasso / Amarone and with dessert we’ll have either a Sauternes or a Tokaji.
I make sure to consult Robert Parker and Decanter to see their recommendations, buy the wines and then sample ahead of the day with the system to be sure they will compliment the day.
We love to enjoy each of those wine varieties casually using the Coravin, trying different producers of the same styles to compare their methods – again, the ability to sample and preserve the wine is huge benefit to expanding knowledge and experiences of different wines."
Enjoying Timeless Moments With Old Friends
When I asked Mike about the last time he used Coravin at home, he replied;
"An old school friend came to visit, we went out for dinner to a local restaurant which specialises in natural and organic wines. During dinner we discussed our favourite wines, I talked about our experience of Coravin, when we came home we had an impromptu tasting of wines in my collection using the system.
We had a super evening recollecting our long friendship and enjoying great quality wines from all over the world. A lovely evening which was hugely enhanced by the model 6."
What's Your Coravin Story?
Mike's journey with wine and Coravin is just one of the many inspiring stories we've heard from our customers. We believe that every bottle of wine holds the potential for unforgettable moments, and we'd love to hear about yours.
Perhaps you've finally sampled that rare wine you've been saving for a special occasion? Or maybe you've thrown your own 'at home' wine tasting experience with friends?
Let us know your stories by contacting me here!