Corkscrews

[Gil Shamir x]

I've been fascinated by all the sophisticated corkscrews out there these days -- still I think I am in the dark ages by comparison, I'm using an old waiter's screw.

Can anyone recommend something better or is the old fashioned stuff still the best? Somehow I think spending 90 bucks on a wine bottle opener is overkill but there must be some middle ground.

[Fat Guy x]

It depends on how many wine bottles you open, how valuable and delicate their corks are, and how much you care about making your life easy.

To me, as somebody who opens only a few bottles of wine a month, and who has enough upper body strength to force a cork (though not much else), the actual design of my corkscrew isn't a big deal. THere's only one thing I pretty much insist on: a hollow-core worm. The worm is the metal spiral that you drive into the cork (everything else about a corkscrew is about transferring leverage, or aesthetics). Hollow core means that if you hold the tip of the worm up to your eye and look at the spiral directly, it should have a hollow center. It should look like a spiral around a center of air, and not like a nail with spiral ridges running around it. Solid-core corkscrews, as most really cheap ones (and many older ones) are, are too abusive for even a fresh, resilient cork -- one false move and you've got sawdust.

Probably the best widely available, relatively economical ((price tag around ฤ) corkscrew product is the Screwpull by Le Creuset. The worm is pretty much ideal. It has a hollow core and is very thin. It has a tiny groove running all along its spiral that allows bits of cork to channel out of the way, thus decreasing resistance and minimizing cork-dust creation. The whole extraction occurs while you twist in one direction, so you don't have to stop in the middle and switch to a lever mechanism. People like to watch it work.

There are two drawbacks I can think of to the screwpull. First, the standard model isn't easily portable or pocketable, and the special portable model kind of stinks. They call it the "waiter" model but I've never seen a waiter or sommelier use one. Second, the one-direction technology requires that the worm drive all the way through the cork and out the other end. For a very precious bottle with an old and perhaps somewhat nasty cork this can push some of the cork into the wine. Not good. With a more traditional corkscrew, where you screw it in and then use a lever to extract the cork, you can, with practice, learn to stop just a hair short of poking through the other side of the cork.

I think those reasons, plus durability, are why many sommeliers (who open hundreds of bottles a week and must get it right every time) opt for the Laguiole Sommelier corkscrew. This comes from the village of Laguiole, which is in south-central France. The town is known as a producer of some of the world's best and most beautiful cutlery (Laguiole is pronounced "lah-yole" according to the most authoritative source I have on the subject, a knife expert in Quebec). Laguiole knives are those fancy ones with the colorful resin-impregnated handles and Napoleon bee emblem on the bolster. Tons of Europeans own Laguiole folding pocketknives, which they use as BYO knives at casual restaurants. The corkscrew was made with the professional in mind and has a built-in curved foil cutter, and a sharp, thin, just-flexible-enough worm. It folds so it is highly portable. And it's attractive. They cost 贄 to 财, depending on what kind of handle you get. I've seen them in France and the UK for less, though -- around ์ for the entry level model. There are a lot of fake Laguioles out there, though, so you should buy from a known dealer only.

There are also those very expensive (up to 趚 I've seen them) lever model corkscrews from Le Creuset and others. I'm sure they're great if you run wine tastings and routinely need to open 100 bottles in 20 minutes, but for the home user they're unnecessary and for the professional sommelier they're not easily schleppable. They can also blast the heck out of a cork if used improperly.

In terms of technique, you can destroy a cork with even the best corkscrew if you don't pay attention. You should always put the tip of the worm in the exact center of the cork and keep it totally aligned up and down as you twist it in. Ease the cork out slowly, bit by bit, not with a mighty tug.

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Steven A. Shaw

www.fat-guy.com

eGullet Community Coordinator, New York

[Carolyn Tillie x]

I'm loving the new Rabbit corkscrew. Sophisticated, yes. Expensive, yes. But 100% reliable. Also, suffering from carpal tunnel, this baby is a life saver!

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Carolyn Tillie

[DonWalsh x]

carolyn, how much for one of those...

is it same as screwpull?

[Preet Baba x]

I finally laid eyes on the print edition of yesterday's NYT dining section (I was working from the online) and saw a picture of a new Zyliss corkscrew. Did anybody see that? It is very small but looks to do what the Screwpull does.

[Tommy x]

i saw a corkscrew on TV today that i've never seen before, and ironically enough, i went to a friend's house this afternoon, and they had the same one.  

it has a "needle" that you put through the cork, and then squeeze the pumping mechanism (with your fingers), which forces air into the bottle, which of course forces the cork out.  it was quite easy to use, and required very little work.  i'm curious to know how it works on synethic corks, or screw tops    

does anyone know where to get one of these?

[Fat Guy x]

Tommy, I know there's also a version that uses a cartridge to supply the gas pressure. I remember these various pressure-driven cork-poppers being popular in the gadget catalogs several years ago, but now they seem not to be as common. A quick search of the Web reveals anecdotal evidence of safety problems, such as this claim from eluna.com:

Beware: Another popular corkscrew looks like a syringe. You insert the needle into the cork and pump several strokes until the cork pops out. The concept works by injecting air between the wine and the cork. When enough air is present the cork gives way. This corkscrew is dangerous. Many bottles have been burst by the pressure exerted against even slightly imperfect bottles. In addition to the mess of red (or even white) wine bursting all over, shards of glass can go flying. I recommend throwing these corkscrews away immediately.

It doesn't seem as though that could be true given that the reputable accessory retailers are still stocking these products, so I can't say what the ultimate explanation is for the apparent decline of this product.

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Steven A. Shaw

www.fat-guy.com

eGullet Community Coordinator, New York

[Ellen Shapiro x]

Le Creuset (manufacturer of the Screwpull line) has outlet stores in various outlet centers. I know right now they're selling their millennium edition products at half price (same as their normal stuff, just in a clear frosted finish and with 2000 printed on the box).

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Ellen R. Shapiro

www.byellen.com

[Preet Baba x]

Here's a directory of Le Creuset factory stores.

http://www.outletsonline.com/lecreuset/lestores.html

[Bux x]

Nice. It's hard to believe how many expensive cork screws I see with that offensive screw. It really is a cross between a screw and a drill bit. It will drill a hole in the cork as readily as not. The proper worm as you describe bears no resemblance to a screw. In France of course, it's not a cork screw but a cork puller.

I've seen a variety of rare woods and animal horns. I am sure the most expensive ones use unicorn horns for the handles judging from the prices.

A friend swears by his Rabbit. I've never tried one. I don't like that foil cutter though. I received one from that same friend and I find it just cuts the foil too high on the neck. I perfer to cut the foil below the ridge at the neck to keep the wine away from the lead as I pour. (Of course there's less and less lead to be found.) Any thoughts on this?

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Robert Buxbaum

http://www.worldtable.com

eGullet Community Coordinator, France

[Varmint x]

As a lawyer, I always like to pull out the Screwpull corkscrew and say, "See, lawyers do have Screwpulls!"

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Dean McCord

[Fat Guy x]

Bux, I'm pretty sure there's been no lead in those capsules for many moons. Then again plenty of wines are old.

Speaking of foil cutters, though I have what is building to be a small collection, I wonder what the point is. I've taken to removing the entire capsule. I just use the tip of the corkscrew's worm to rip a notch in the bottom of the capsule, and tear/unwrap the whole thing in one pull. Am I doing something bad?

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Steven A. Shaw

www.fat-guy.com

eGullet Community Coordinator, New York

[Tommy x]

this is what i do as well, after seeing someone do it.  much easier, imho.  

additionally, there can sometimes be a bit of mold around the top of the cork or under the foil.  i've found that if you cut the foil, it makes for more difficult clean-up of this sediment, whereas if you remove the foil in its entirety, you can clean it up easily.  and before you ask, no, these wines aren't corked.

i'd imagine that for presentation and aestetic purposes, people choose to leave the foil on.

[Benedict Jenks]

Can any recommend a shop in London which stocks a range of Laguiole corkscrews where you can see the different woods and choose one that you really like.  I keep findiding shops that only have one or two in stock and it's impossible to compare.

[Katherine]

Just noticed this thread lives again!

Ekco has begun making a waiter style corkscrew for under ŭ at Walmart, for those of us who are saving up for our first Laguioleo.

[Fat Guy]

Benedict, I'd suggest taking a look in the Nicolas wine shop at Canary Wharf. I've not been there, but the Nicolas shops in France (there are something like 350 of them) stock a good selection of Laguiole corkscrews. Assuming it's still there: 1, Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AX, telephone:  020 7 512 9092

[Ron Johnson]

I believe Tommy inquired how the air-injection cork removers worked for screw-caps.  Not well my dear man, not well at all.  For screw caps I recommend using a grip that involves the use of the index finger and the opposable thumb then twist in a counter clockwise manner until the cap comes free of the threads on the bottle.

Seriously though, the most fun apparatus for opening wine is using a sabre to open a sparkling wine.

[tommy]

Quote: from ron johnson on 10:29 am on Nov. 19, 2001

Seriously though, the most fun apparatus for opening wine is using a sabre to open a sparkling wine.

indeed.  every sunday morning for my mamosas (sp?).  it's just not brunch without a sabre and a show. ;)

[=Mark]

Quote:

it has a "needle" that you put through the cork, and then squeeze the pumping mechanism (with your fingers), which forces air into the bottle, which of course forces the cork out.  

On 2 occasions I've seen these pressure type cork removers cause bottles to burst.  During the second occasion I was trying to tell the person about the possibility and was basically scoffed at.  After the blast, which had the secondary effect of sending a wave of red wine mixed with splintered glass into his utensil drawer, he apologised and tossed the remover into the trash.

[Rosie]

I have a corkscrew story. We always carry a corkscrew with us and have one in every wine bag that we own. For some reason we like to have our wine opened sooner than the waitstaff can get to it at a BYO restaurant. We also travel with a corkscrew. Well--actually a swiss army knife that has a corkscrew but the only reason we travel with it is because the corkscrew works well. So--last week we went to Florida for a few days. We took carry-on bags which we never do.We always check our bags.  Lowell was stopped when we went thru the checkpoint. You know--the area where there is a big sign that says "no knives past this point." They took his carry-on and passed a wand over it. Then they opened the bag and  in his shaving case was the corkscrew. Neither of us even remembered or thought about it being there. So-yes we were happy that security was good enough to find this piece of equipment. And yes--we checked our bags through. Just wanted to let those of you who carry corkscrews around like we do that to remember to pack them when you go on vacation and check your luggage!

[Wilfrid]

Yes, same goes for my chefs knives, which I had previously happily carried in my hand luggage.

[=Mark]

Quote:were happy that security was good enough to find this piece of equipment. And yes--we checked our bags through. Just wanted to let those of you who carry corkscrews around like we do that to remember to pack them when you go on vacation and check your luggage!

I can't understant the concept of using a corkscrew as a weapon, I would think the victim would have to be very patient...

Was talking to a guy who had been in special forces and was also dubious about corkscrews as a threat when he related having trained to fight with everyday objects, and one of the easiest and most effective was a ballpoint pen.  I don't hear any stories about peoples pens being confiscated...

[tommy]

i'm sure while a pen could be used to kill someone if you're specially trained, a corkscrew is certainly more intimidating, and therefore possibly more effective as a "weapon" in that type of situation.  

how about a fake car key that as a sheath that reveals a small knife.  not too hard to get stuff by, that's for sure.

[Wilfrid]

The FAA's official list of prohibited items (which is at their website) is indeed curious.  Pool cues are banned. for example, but not pool balls, which in a strong sock make a much more dangerous weapon.  Squash rackets are out, although I find it hard to imagine doing much damage with one.  Still, I expect they're doing their best.  

Gee, what was this thread about?

[tommy]

Quote: from Wilfrid on 3:13 pm on Nov. 20, 2001

Squash rackets are out, although I find it hard to imagine doing much damage with one.  

they should ban those sweaters that guys hang over their shoulders and tie in front of them too. and "boat shoes".  and anyone named Bif.  

sorry.