| The worst thing you could possibly do to a bottle of wine, besides dropping it, would be to break the cork and have it crumble into your hands. The act of opening a bottle of wine isn't that difficult, it just takes some practice.
There are several types of corkscrews out there today, all requiring a different level of expertise and human exertion. Waiter's Corkscrew | A Waiter's Corkscrew, named because it is the favorite of servers around the world, is a good choice and costs around $5-6. | It is composed of a metal handle about 4" in length, a 2" fold-out screw in the middle and a small knife to cut the seal. The seal can be removed entirely or just at the lip of the bottle, depending on your preference. The other end of the handle holds a 2" fold-out attachment to aid in extracting the cork.
To open a bottle using this corkscrew, insert the screw into the middle of the cork and place the recessed end of the attachment firmly against the lip of the neck of the bottle. Then using the attachment for support, pull up on the corkscrew to remove the cork. Wipe the lip of the bottle with a cloth to remove any dirt or substance that could get into the wine. |
Another type of corkscrew, the Screwpull, uses supports to brace itself against the bottle while the cork comes out with a twist. | A Screwpull |
Rabbit Corkscrew | Another favorite is the Rabbit Corkscrew. It can be found online or in many gadget stores such as Sharper Image orBrookstone and costs $70-$80. | While it's not cheap, it is a very high quality tool. You can open any bottle of wine, wide mouth or ones with crumbling corks, effortlessly. By grabbing the neck of the bottle with the grip handles and pulling the top lever down, the screw enters the cork. Push the handle back up and the cork comes right out. |
Buy Beer & Wine Online!
| |