Simple and inexpensive bottle stopper actively removes oxygen to keep wine first-pour fresh.

Today a Kickstarter campaign was launched to fund Encork, an innovative, minimalist wine preserving device. The Encork is an easy to use, disposable stopper that actively removes oxygen to preserve wine, allowing consumers to taste more and waste less.

Encork was designed to fill a marketplace need in a growing sector for an inexpensive and effective way to preserve wine. US wine consumption has increased by 33% since 2005, but waste has also increased. Opened wine goes stale and spoils when oxidation creates off-flavors, and one study found that an average household throws away almost two glasses of wine a week — roughly twenty bottles wasted a year.

Encork stoppers make it easy to enjoy multiple bottles while keeping wine fresh. Each stopper contains a food-safe compound that removes 99.9% of oxygen from one 750ml bottle to prevent wine oxidation. Simply remove the cap from an Encork to activate the oxygen absorber and press it firmly into an open bottle. To enjoy later, remove the device and listen for the “pop” that confirms the oxygen was absorbed.

“We designed Encork to improve the wine experience by making it affordable to open a bottle whenever inspiration strikes and save it without wasting a drop,” said Encork co-founder Tyler Rice. “Encork wine preserving stoppers provide the freedom to create a flight at home or have just one glass on a weekday, empowering consumers to bring wine back for an encore performance months after opening.”

Made of eco-friendly TPE, Encork’s low-profile, tapered design functions as a universal stopper that fits wine bottles with corks and screwtops alike. Once depleted, stoppers can be disposed of or mailed back to be recycled. The Encork’s unique combination of simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness is unmatched by existing products available in the market. Encorks are an ideal solution for home wine consumption as well as for restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and more.

For more information and to back Encork, visit: www.kickstarter.com