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Posted

ive been wanting a nice corkscrew for years.  something functionally good, but also substantial and nice to look at and use.

 

only thing i can think of is a campagnolo one  (its a bike parts company)... but doesnt really look that particularly pleasing

 

campagnolo+corkscrew.jpg

 

this westmark one has a cool industrial appeal to it, but the tiny arms doesnt seem to give it any leverage

 

62603380--1001.jpg

 

Posted
Just now, Chewbacca said:

I've had a few different types and these work by far the best:

 

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This is the correct answer -- double-hinged waiter's corkscrew.  Pulltap is a good brand.  For older corks, get an Ah So or, even better, a Durand https://thedurand.com

 

  • Like 1
Posted
This is the correct answer -- double-hinged waiter's corkscrew.  Pulltap is a good brand.  For older corks, get an Ah So or, even better, a Durand https://thedurand.com
 
Dont be a schlub, a proper gentleman should perfect the skill of uncorking a bottle of good wine with this utensil.
Posted
36 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

I've had a few different types and these work by far the best:

 

spacer.png

I will second (or third or fourth) this.  As much as I’ve wanted there to be a better option and have tried just about every gimmicky contraption out there, this style is where it’s at.  Sometimes you just can’t fuck with the classics.

  • Like 1
Posted
4 minutes ago, VirginiaLonghorn said:

Not staged ... my wife and one of her pals were intent on using a corkscrew on a screw top bottle.  Their story was it was their third or fourth bottle of the night.

3A5370B4-CBA9-42F2-A88A-9717A3F7E851.jpeg

"The cork just won't come out!!!"  Probably a pretty good hangover after a couple bottles of Yellow Tail.

Posted
7 minutes ago, VirginiaLonghorn said:

Not staged ... my wife and one of her pals were intent on using a corkscrew on a screw top bottle.  Their story was it was their third or fourth bottle of the night.

3A5370B4-CBA9-42F2-A88A-9717A3F7E851.jpeg

If she and one other friend blew through 4 of those bottles in one night, using a corkscrew on a twist top was likely the least of their worries

  • Like 3
Posted
29 minutes ago, South Austin said:

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I bought this in a little shop on the Ile Saint-Louis in Paris last May.  I specifically included in the list of shit I was taking with me in my divorce. 

Great looking opener but I thought elephant tusk was illegal?

Posted
57 minutes ago, South Austin said:

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I bought this in a little shop on the Ile Saint-Louis in Paris last May.  I specifically included in the list of shit I was taking with me in my divorce. 

A couple of these.  One with a longer knife blade that makes a great picnic knife. A couple that look like the first one in the OP, but more utilitarian. 

Posted
2 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I’ve got something real similar to this.  It’s mostly for decoration, but it works just fine.  Also have a couple of old school ones and a rabbit.

E6BBFECA-48E7-4564-8320-489673488D44.jpeg

That is awesome

Posted
41 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

If she and one other friend blew through 4 of those bottles in one night, using a corkscrew on a twist top was likely the least of their worries

I learned a long time ago to steer wide of the girls when they’re partying.  Just look out for their well-being and stay out of whatever they’re drinking.

  • Like 1
Posted
3 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

That is awesome

$299 at Pottery Barn.  Ours is not from there, it was a gift from a distant relative who lives in Napa and works in the wine industry, but the look is very similar.

Posted
58 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

If she and one other friend blew through 4 of those bottles in one night, using a corkscrew on a twist top was likely the least of their worries

dont-care-had.jpg

  • Like 2
Posted
3 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I’ve got something real similar to this.  It’s mostly for decoration, but it works just fine.  Also have a couple of old school ones and a rabbit.

E6BBFECA-48E7-4564-8320-489673488D44.jpeg

Totally cool.  I want some steampunk rube Goldberg shit like this, but it doesn't seem so portable and if I get this, wife won't approve of the Duck Press (1 piece of vintage flair per kitchen....)

Posted
2 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Totally cool.  I want some steampunk rube Goldberg shit like this, but it doesn't seem so portable and if I get this, wife won't approve of the Duck Press (1 piece of vintage flair per kitchen....)

It ain’t portable.  Ours probably weighs 50 lbs.

Posted
4 hours ago, Spur08 said:
4 hours ago, AustinMT said:
This is the correct answer -- double-hinged waiter's corkscrew.  Pulltap is a good brand.  For older corks, get an Ah So or, even better, a Durand https://thedurand.com
 

Dont be a schlub, a proper gentleman should perfect the skill of uncorking a bottle of good wine with this utensil.

Sorry, “Schlub,” but what “utensil” are you referring to?

Posted (edited)
3 minutes ago, AustinMT said:

Sorry, “Schlub,” but what “utensil” are you referring to?

To be better put -- don't be a schlub, folks, learn the art of using the double-hinged waiter's corkscrew as AustinMT has pictured.

 

I started home happy hour early    /shrug

Edited by Spur08
Posted
4 hours ago, AustinMT said:

This is the correct answer -- double-hinged waiter's corkscrew.  Pulltap is a good brand.  For older corks, get an Ah So or, even better, a Durand https://thedurand.com

 

absolutely this.  Pulltap is terrific.  I've run through a bunch and it's the best by far imo.  Ah so is great for the older corks...they are long and often soft (double entendre not intended).

Posted
24 minutes ago, Spur08 said:

To be better put -- don't be a schlub, folks, learn the art of using the double-hinged waiter's corkscrew as AustinMT has pictured.

 

I started home happy hour early    /shrug

Got it — as worded, thought you were calling me the club ;)

There is really nothing better on most corks that this.  I will say that for older corks, the Durand is unbeatable (but it’s also $125).

Posted
10 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

If you ever open very old wine with very iffy corks, you need a 2-prong corkscrew like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Monopol-Westmark-Germany-Two-Prong-Puller/dp/B0002WZR4K

 

You can also use one of the argon injector needles to pressurize and push the cork out, but that's more cost and complexity.

For normal use, I'm with Chewbacca, the basic folding screw and knife tool.

was looking at that as well.  nifty tool to whip out

Posted
15 hours ago, Landomatic said:

Great looking opener but I thought elephant tusk was illegal?

Blow the photo up—it’s mammoth ivory; completely legal.  Some elephant ivory is legal, too, but I think it has to be quite old and/or salvaged.

Posted
Old school, but in red. Works perfectly every time. 
 
corkscrew.jpg

I’ve had some older wines that may have been stored improperly and that type of cork screw with the post down the center often rips right through the center of the cork. The screws in post #4 and #8 work better on drier corks. On very old wines sometimes it takes the kind of opener with two flat stiff wires that are inserted on opposite sides of the cork and there’s enough tension to pull the cork out without using a screw at all.
Posted

While we're on the subject, does anyone have a good solution for re-corking (resealing) a bottle that's been opened that didn't quite get finished?  Usually, I'll just stick the cork back in and it's fine, especially if I can store it upright.  But sometimes when I do that and lay it back down in the wine refrigerator, it leaks all over.  Surely there's a product that seals better than a removed, used, often torn up cork.

Posted
9 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

While we're on the subject, does anyone have a good solution for re-corking (resealing) a bottle that's been opened that didn't quite get finished?  Usually, I'll just stick the cork back in and it's fine, especially if I can store it upright.  But sometimes when I do that and lay it back down in the wine refrigerator, it leaks all over.  Surely there's a product that seals better than a removed, used, often torn up cork.

Coravin is probably your best bet.  It's a bit pricey.  I'm trying to talk myself into one.

 

Posted

We have one of just about everything mentioned here, except that countertop press looking thing. I use a cheapo waiters corkscrew I stole from a wedding at Barton Creek CC a long time ago. Mrs Rojo uses the rabbit. I've been lusting after a Laguiole for a long time. 

Posted
22 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

While we're on the subject, does anyone have a good solution for re-corking (resealing) a bottle that's been opened that didn't quite get finished?  Usually, I'll just stick the cork back in and it's fine, especially if I can store it upright.  But sometimes when I do that and lay it back down in the wine refrigerator, it leaks all over.  Surely there's a product that seals better than a removed, used, often torn up cork.

I just these.  They are cheap and work.

vacuvin-wine-saver-white_10.thumb.jpg.048100ff1c543159da66a44ab03c2da5.jpg

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
19 hours ago, CycleTex87 said:

Somebody bought me this, works pretty well:

2209588_fpx.tif?op_sharpen=1&wid=1230&hei=1500&fit=fit,1&$filterxlrg$

we have the lower cost version of this, by Oster that cost like $15 at HEB and a great gift for people.

Edited by NoName
Posted
19 hours ago, kevwun said:

https://www.amazon.com/Oster-Cordless-Electric-Bottle-Opener/dp/B003YFI0O6/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3P5XCARE9WLK8&dchild=1&keywords=automatic+wine+opener&qid=1593466867&sprefix=automatice+win%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-8

Wife's parents got us this for Christmas last year.  Shockingly, it works really well.  The foil cutter that comes with it is even more handy.

this is it. we got it for like 15/16 with a coupon

Posted
2 hours ago, Post Oak said:

Coravin is probably your best bet.  It's a bit pricey.  I'm trying to talk myself into one.

 

Bought one a couple of years ago — works great

Posted
3 hours ago, HouTex said:

I’ve had some older wines that may have been stored improperly and that type of cork screw with the post down the center often rips right through the center of the cork. The screws in post #4 and #8 work better on drier corks. On very old wines sometimes it takes the kind of opener with two flat stiff wires that are inserted on opposite sides of the cork and there’s enough tension to pull the cork out without using a screw at all.

There’s a reason I have zero posts on the big wine thread. An old wine for me is about 48 hours from store. 

Posted

just use a conventional corkscrew unless you simply do not have enough hand strength to pull out the cork.  

There is a sort of beauty to properly opening a bottle of wine.  The resting of the edge of the blade upon the lip of the bottle and rotating the bottle until a beautifully clean cap of foil is removed.  Then you simply insert the curved tip ever so slightly outside of dead center of the cork so that the screw moves gracefully down the center of the cork.  Knowing by touch that there is no need to put the screw in past the useful use of the lever.  Then putting the lever in place, smoothly pulling the cork right to the edge of the bottle and gently pull out the cork with smile and panache.

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