I keep that one in my wine bag. Probably my favorite of the value-priced openers from Amazon. I like that I can use a honing steel to keep the blade sharp.
I just found two of these in a kitchen drawer that I’d received several years ago in a LF shipment. You’re right, they’re great!
Same here.
I heard Durand made a few with a longer worm for Roy Hersh and that they had a few extra they were willing to sell, so I bought one of those too (this was years ago). But the worm was only 1/4" longer.
I use the double-lever when I need something that will fit in my pocket.
Pulltap’s double-hinged waiter’s friend for me too. It’s more than enough for 98% of my bottle-opening needs.
With older bottles (over 25-30 yo) I whip out my Peugeot Ah-So, but I’m planning on getting one of those needle-pump openers, because they seem to be more reliable in getting the cork out intact in those cases when the cork has become too brittle or mushy even to survive the Ah-So treatment.
I’m also a fan of the double-hinge waiter’s friend that Heritage Auctions gives out.
I have, as a wine-geek, a lot of bottle-openers.
Some, even expensive ones, have failed, or broke!
High-tech, and plastic parts, are “doomed” to fail.
I especially hate when a famous designer-house (George Jensen, Bodum etc.) tries to make a fancy/modern corkscrew, and it breaks after a few pulls. I once had a small cut in my hand from a design-opener, that litterally broke in pieces, trying to pop a tight cork.
My choise of a top quality corkscrew is the classic Chateau Laguiole.
It’s made in heavy-duty steel, “long” 5-coiled worm(normal is 4), and an effective foil-cutter(Laguiole makes knifes).
It’s exceptional craftsmanship, a quality tool, and very nice to operate.
The bee-logo is very nice too.
My 1’st choise since 2004, when I got it for Christmas. Rarely I need the Ah-so, or other special tools, -but I have them close by, just in case.
Regards, Søren.
Use my Coutale Prestige 90% of the time
i reach for this corkscrew every time
I use Code 38.
My Durand has an extremely long worm.
I have used some antique pills which are effective and nice.
I’ve had the same one since 2001. The original helix did become “sprung” after the first few years and then in 2008 snapped on a particularly dense cork in a bottle of Il Poggione BdM.
I contacted the Wine Appreciation Guild who I bought it from. They instructed me to mail it to them and for a shipping fee of $25.00, it was sent back to the manufacturer, repaired with an even more sturdy helix, and sent back to me. It has remained like new ever since.
They have gone up considerably in price since then, but I’ll pass this on once I pass on, for sure.
I have a Pulltaps which I’ve used for 10+ years and a 3-year-old Coutale Premium which I like a lot - it’s a bit bulky for a waiter’s friend, but I don’t mind. Those get used the most, followed by a Monopol Ah-so which I tend to grab for old or stuck corks.
Same. Unless I’m using the Durand, which is magnificent, the Laguiole has been my go-to for eight years now. Never lets me down. Only corks do. Haha.
I’ve got quite a few older ones that I all use from time to time but normally I combine a lovely old school one with a knife and badger hair brush on one side to cut the foil and dust off the cork. Then I use a beat-up wooden handled baby, a bit like the one below, but with a longer worm and a wider bore; occasionally combined with an Ah So if that becomes necessary.
To me the length and width of the worm is paramount!
I generally use a screwpull and then use a Durand on older bottles. I have never measured the size of the worm on my Durand. I guess I just don’t have Durand anxiety. My Durand, whatever the length of the worm, does the job and I have never gotten any complaints that night or the morning after.
I used a screwpull like that in the past, and I liked the simplicity. It generally worked pretty will, but some stiff corks were hard to get out because it lacks the extra leverage you get with a knuckle. With one of those there’s seldom a problem. Also, the one you show seems to have a fairly thick worm. I’ve often found it difficult to get those started on certain corks. But whatever works for you…
I love the Coutale Prestige.
Sturdy–wish the worm was a little longer.
here are my tools to open old wines.
I have two knives which is not necessary but one can sharpen the other. It is to cut the capsules.
The usual corkscrew is to lift the cork of 5 millimeters in order that the cork does not stick to the glass.
Then I have two corkscrews with long worms to lift the corks. The second is used in case I lift only parts of the corks, when I have no time to clean the first one.
The other tools are use to lift the small parts which stick to the glass.
But I had to make a meeting of the Academy for Ancient Wines, with 51 wines that I had to open by myself. I used the Durand which works more rapidly. But when there is no hurry I prefer my usual tools because the Durand hurts the surface of the corks which is not good because I keep corks for my collection.
these are the corks lifted with the Durand. One can see that some are hurt.
Good point. I actually regularly sharpen the tips of my main corkscrews on wetstones so they have a clear (and dangerous) point on them. That way they always get a good grip. Actually a lot easier to do this on the older solid steel cast worms. I think the thicker bore is less likely to cut through the grain of a porous old cork but that’s just my experience. In case the cork slips I always have a couple of pins ready to stick in sideways, in order to lever it against the neck so that I can insert the screw without the cork dropping. Still, each to their own I suppose.
Thanks, interesting. What sort of pins do you use? Sounds like that might work better than an ah-so, which is what I use for corks that want to go in not out.
Thanks, François. What do you do if the cork is very loose and you can’t insert the corkscrew without pushing the cork in?