Below you are about to see gadgets and gizmos that look like something out of Star Wars. Millions of dollars are wasted per year purchasing some crazy new gadget that Wine Consumers think they need in order to remove the Cork from a bottle of Wine. Some of these products are downright scary looking so this is your disclaimer to put the children to bed.
First let’s start off with the very old fashioned basic corkscrew that I believe was used by Fred Flinstone in Bedrock to open up a bottle of Wine.
This looks like you can become a serial killer with this thing. I think it is multi-purpose as a corkscrew and weapon instead of carrying a can of Pepper Spray with you. I see accidents happening with this type of basic corkscrew.
Now an oldie but not a goodie that you see in many peoples kitchens and in Supermarkets across America.
Now I know people think this is the easiest tool to use and have been using them for years but I can tell you that if you are opening a bottle of wine where the cork is kind of brittle, you will be drilling for oil and coming up empty! Then all that sawdust you created winds up in the wine glass as floating particles. This is not a good choice.
My Favorite one to goof on is the Cork Pops.
This is like using a stick of dynamite to open up a stinkin’ bottle of wine. Plus it is operated by gas cartridges that you have to go and purchase extras of when they are empty. I just can’t imagine that people would buy exploding corkscrews in order to simply open up a bottle of chardonnay.
Then there are the crazy looking contraptions that look like an erector set or science experiment that are quite costly and come in multiple colors.
These almost look like they are a cool looking kitchen decoration or a conversation piece. They work however, we are not extracting teeth, we are only simply trying to get a cork out of a bottle of wine without breaking the cork in half. This is overkill in my opinion and expensive!
When I worked as a Beverage Manager in fine dining Restaurants, I insisted that part of every server’s uniform was one type of corkscrew called the “PULLTAP”. If they came into my Restaurant with any other wine opening device other than that, they were not allowed to work that shift. I wasn’t trying to be an ass. These restaurants served some $10,000 bottles of Vintage Burgundies and Bordeauxs and Super Tuscans and I was not about to let a Server or Bartender approach a guest with one of these scary looking contraptions and more importantly, take the risk that the cork would break and we just destroyed a $10,000 bottle of wine.
This is a Pulltap A.K.A. “A Waiter’s Best Friend” There is a reason it is called that. That reason is because it will cost you a maximum of $7.00 and you will have a device with a DOUBLE HINGE which first pulls the cork out half way and then on the second “PULL” it opens the rest of the cork without running the risk that you try to Yank a cork out in one pull and it snaps in half. This is the only corkscrew, I have ever used and will ever use to open up a bottle of wine and I must say depsite maybe one or two bottles that were stored incorrectly and the corks were bone dry, I have never broken a cork or had any cork issues and the entire maneuver can be accomplished in 16 seconds. No Gas Explosives, No Winged Tips drilling for Oil, No R2D2 looking devices that belong on the Space Shuttle. Just a functional corskscrew that is simple to use and inexpensive. Watch this video for 23 seconds as the Pulltap is demonstrated. Notice the Simplicity and the Functionality of the double hinges.
So pick yourself up a Pulltap and practice on a couple of inexpensive bottles. Remember, it’s just a simple bottle of wine. I will still pray for the day that all of these devices including the Pulltap will be obsolete.
No more CORK TAINT. No more variation from one bottle to the next in flavors of a wine from the same vintage or year. No more storing bottles laying down and more importantly no more Crazy Contraptions to open the bottle and enjoy. The only tool you need is your hand. Until that day happens remember, it is just a bottle of wine you are opening not a safe in a bank robbery. The Pulltap works. If it works don’t fix it. It’s not Rocket Science!
Larry The Wine Guy 