Wine Openers

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Chateau Vin
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Wine Openers

Post by Chateau Vin »

I have lost my sommelier corkscrew wine opener that I received as a gift from a wine retailer. I loved it very much, and am looking for an authentic one.

1. I was wondering where can I buy an authentic Pullman/Pulltex corkscrew. Seems like there are lot of imitations out there, and when I got one from Amazon, it obviously was a fake and did not work the way my old one used to work.

2. Also, any recommendations for a wine opener that work wells for older bottles with crumbly corks?

Am planning to purchase 2 corkscrews.

Jim, I am still waiting on the info about the wine decanter that broke. Looks like it is easy to clean and am looking for a similar one...

Thanks
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jckba
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by jckba »

Regarding your 2nd question, I would go with the Durand.

https://thedurand.com
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dstgolf
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by dstgolf »

This is a must have wine opener!! ;) But pretty neat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcqVwMvGQtU
Danny
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JonathanP
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by JonathanP »

I would second the Durand. The screw holds the cork togethers, whilst the prongs actually extract it. Works nearly every time.
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DavidG
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by DavidG »

The Durand is far and away the best opener for old and crumbly or spongy corks that I have ever used.
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Carlos Delpin
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by Carlos Delpin »

I find the Laguiole Sommelier series to be a great balance between form and function.
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jckba
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by jckba »

Carlos Delpin wrote:I find the Laguiole Sommelier series to be a great balance between form and function.
and are also the most aesthetically pleasing.
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Racer Chris
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by Racer Chris »

This is what I use:
Image

The outer threaded sleeve lifts the cork very gradually.
I'm really pleased with how it works, but I haven't used it on an old bottle yet.
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AKR
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by AKR »

It's crazy how expensive Durands are versus Monopol's. They are like 6x the cost.
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DavidG
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by DavidG »

You can achieve the same result with a Monopol Ah-So plus the screw from a Screwpull with a little effort to get the alignment right. And at much lower cost.

I agree that the Laguiole Sommeliers are beautiful and efficient. But they aren't as good at preserving a badly decomposed cork as a Durand or Ah-So/Screwpull combination.
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Phil David
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by Phil David »

Ah So hasn't failed me yet, and at 10-15% of the cost of the Durand. I'm not sure the screw is needed on the latter; if the cork is that fragile the centre will chew up, which is exactly what you're trying to prevent.
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Tom In DC
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by Tom In DC »

Phil,

The point of the corkscrew worm is to keep the ah so from pushing the cork into the bottle, which has happened many times to me. You just use the worm to stabilize the cork while you deploy the ah so.
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JimHow
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by JimHow »

CV, what was your question about the decanter that broke?
It was a decanter that Houndsong and his lovely wife Kathy gave me when they stayed at my house a few years back.
It was my favorite decanter and I was devastated.
They got it in Colorado. I'm sure we can get you the website.
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Chateau Vin
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by Chateau Vin »

JimHow wrote:CV, what was your question about the decanter that broke?
It was a decanter that Houndsong and his lovely wife Kathy gave me when they stayed at my house a few years back.
It was my favorite decanter and I was devastated.
They got it in Colorado.
Yep. That's the one. Do you know what make it was? Where one can find? Am trying to look for such one as it seems easy to clean...
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JimHow
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by JimHow »

Let me look into it.
Hound and Kathy left me a business card of the place in Colorado where they got it, let me see if I can find it.
Of course, the Hound could probably tell us off the top of his head.
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NoahR
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by NoahR »

+1 on the Durand.
Worth every penny.

For simple, young bottles, I use a Rabbit and have few issues. Only problem is when a I have middle aged bottles and go for a simple corkscrew instead of the Durand out of laziness.

Just get a Durand.
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AlohaArtakaHoundsong
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by AlohaArtakaHoundsong »

Jim, the guy is Brice Turnbull (sounds like an early 70's British prog-rock band). http://www.btglass.com. He made I think three for me they were strictly one-offs.
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AKR
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by AKR »

Related to the Turnbull who makes a well regarded Napa cab?
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jckba
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Re: Wine Openers

Post by jckba »

AKR wrote:Related to the Turnbull who makes a well regarded Napa cab?
At what price point?
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