Üllo believes that wine is best enjoyed the way the winemaker intended – pure – without the added sulfites used as a preservative. An estimated three million Americans are sensitive to sulfites resulting in allergies or respiratory problems, while countless others blame these chemicals for headaches and hangovers. Üllo purifies any wine, restoring it to its natural state.
A surprising number of wine lovers are sensitive to sulfites. As an added chemical preservative, sulfites are necessary for wine to be properly bottled and stored but are no longer needed once you open the bottle.
Üllo purifies wine using a porous, food-grade polymer filter to selectively remove sulfites, while allowing the other compounds in the wine to flow through unaffected. Through Selective Sulfite Capture™, Üllo maintains the original flavor and character of the wine while reducing sulfites to a more naturally occurring level of less than 10 ppm.
As an added benefit, sediment is captured in the filtering process ensuring your last sip is as pure as your first.
Sulfites have a distinctly bitter taste that is often noticeable when present at high levels in wine. While taste is subjective, many tasters describe this as a sharp, chemical taste that lingers in the finish. Although levels vary, white wines tend to have more sulfites than reds. Preliminary taste tests show a majority of tasters notice a favorable difference in white wines, with 3 out of 4 preferring the Üllo purified wine. No preference has been observed among red wines, aside from the improvement due to aeration.
Each filter reduces sulfites to less than 10 ppm for one bottle of wine. While we’re still determining the final filter specifications, our research indicates that filters maintain efficacy for at least six months. The filters capture sulfites onto a porous polymer material designed to ensure that the first 100 mL of wine is as equally pure as the last pour for a single bottle. The anticipated retail price for ten sulfite filters is $20, and replacement filters will be available the moment Üllo ships.
Because some wines prefer to be aerated, Üllo can purify and aerate wine in the same pour. With a simple twist, you can opt to aerate your wine if desired. The purified wine flows through Üllo in a visually appealing helical shape, allowing the wine to breathe.
Sometimes a single glass of wine is all you need. Other times, you want to enjoy the whole bottle. The Üllo purifier works comfortably on top of a variety of wine glasses, as well as the beautifully crafted Üllo carafe and decanter.
Designed to fit perfectly with Üllo, the decanter and carafe’s elegant shapes make it easy to serve your favorite bottle of wine. Each is made from crystal clear, hand-blown borosilicate glass in Europe.
Üllo’s matching silicone base can be used to capture any unruly drips after serving. When not in use, the base is a beautiful way to store or showcase Üllo.
To bring the science of Üllo to life, founder James Kornacki partnered with award-winning product development and brand incubation firm, MINIMAL. A multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and strategists (and of course, wine lovers), worked together to ensure that every part of the brand, the product and the experience were carefully considered.
MINIMAL set out to design and engineer an inclusive line of products that appeal to everyone from the casual wine drinker to the trained sommelier. The design and product architecture should allow wine drinkers to purify and aerate an individual glass or an entire bottle through the filter without disrupting the mood or atmosphere of the experience.
The team focused on creating a beautiful, intuitive, and high quality product with the fewest amount of parts possible. The result is stunning glassware and a dishwasher safe module that easily snaps apart for filter replacement and effortless cleaning.
Üllo returns wine to its natural state, as if you opened the bottle right at the vineyard. It was created be a simple and delightful experience that celebrates and enhances the ritual of wine drinking.