🍷 Corkscrew

A corkscrew is a spiral with a handle that is twisted into a cork to pull it from a bottle. It is the most familiar tool for opening wine. Without it, many bottles with natural corks cannot be opened.

It is simple in design. The metal spiral bores into the cork, and a lever or handle helps pull the cork out. There are various kinds. The folding waiter's friend is handy in a restaurant and has a lever that rests on the bottle. The two-pronged corkscrew consists of two flat blades inserted between the cork and the glass without piercing the cork. It is used for old and fragile corks. There are also table models with a lever.

If a bottle has a screw cap, no corkscrew is needed: the cap is simply twisted off. Such caps are increasingly used for wines meant to be drunk young.

It is best to open a bottle slowly, so as not to break the cork. If a piece falls into the wine, it can be fished out or the wine strained. A good corkscrew is inexpensive and lasts for many years.