Category: Equipment

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Vinturi Wine Aerator

Vinturi Wine AeratorVinturi Wine Aerator

When it comes to wine aeration, I am an agnostic. I rarely aerate these days, and when I do I usually use a decanter. For me, decanting and waiting an hour or two offers the best chance of improving a wine’s flavor and aroma.

But, there are many gadgets available for aerating a wine either by the glass or an entire bottle, and this Vinturi wine aerator is one that I have relied on for years. It is nicely designed, well built, and couldn’t be simpler to operate. Just hold it above your container, and pour the wine.

The one shortcoming my Vinturi has is that it did not come with a screen for filtering out sediment. I’m happy to note that the current model includes just such a filter. Vinturi does sell replacement filters in five packs now, as well.

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The Best Corkscrew

Le Creuset Wine Opener 

Le Creuset Wine Opener

Is this really the best corkscrew?  With hundreds of devices on Amazon alone for opening wine bottles, some costing hundreds of dollars, I realize this is a bold claim.  But yes.  For the money, this corkscrew simply can’t be beat.  It’s dead-simple to use, and works correctly every time.  The Teflon-coated worm pierces the cork with ease, and simply continuing to turn the handle then extracts it smoothly.

This corkscrew was originated by Hallen International Inc., and sold for years under the Screwpull trademark.  In 1991, Le Creuset acquired the Screwpull line, but didn’t rebrand it until the early 2010s.  Le Creuset makes a number of other corkscrews, including a cheaper model that resembles this one.  Although it operates on the same principle, it is flimsier, prone to breakage, and gets mixed reviews on Amazon. 

Although nothing lasts forever, in 30 years I’ve only owned three copies of this corkscrew, one of which was broken by a rowdy party guest.

UPDATE: It would appear that Le Creuset discontinued the more robust original Screwpull design in favor of their cheaper model. 

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Food Saver Bottle Stoppers

Food Saver Bottle Stopper Food Saver Bottle Stoppers If you have a Food Saver vacuum sealing machine, these bottle stoppers are indispensable. They work on the same principle as the better known Vacu Vin sealing system, but are far more effective. They are made to fit standard wine bottles (and many other standard-size bottles or containers). The stoppers are BPA-free for food safety and non-toxic storage. The core idea is that once you open a bottle, oxygen (i.e. air) is your enemy — it causes oxidation, which degrades wines (and many oils/infusions) over time. Vacuum-sealing removes a lot of that air (or at least reduces oxygen exposure), which slows down the deterioration process. Once vacuum-sealed correctly, the bottle is more airtight than with a simple cork or cap, which helps maintain flavor and quality. Back to blog posts: winervana.com/blog/  
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Ratchet Corkscrew

Cork Pops Ratchet Corkscrew

Cork Pops Ratchet Corkscrew

Many people, including some servers themselves, are intimidated or bewildered by so-called waiter’s corkscrews. That’s too bad, because once mastered they can be highly portable and simple to use.

One such corkscrew is the Ratchet Corkscrew from Cork Pops. It is designed to simplify opening wine bottles compared with a basic traditional corkscrew. It uses a “ratcheting” mechanism (a small internal gearbox) rather than relying solely on brute pulling force. This mechanism is meant to make removing the cork easier and smoother — more like the action of a ratcheting screwdriver than a standard corkscrew.

The tool includes a worm (the screw that goes into the cork), a foil cutter (often built into the handle), and a folding lever/handle. The worm, foil-cutter, and handle fold neatly to a compact length.

Instead of just screwing the worm into the cork then pulling straight up, the ratchet corkscrew allows incremental ratcheting — you turn or pump the handle to drive the screw into or out of the cork using mechanical advantage, reducing manual effort, handy for wine drinkers with limited hand mobility and strength).

Once the worm fully penetrates the cork, the ratchet mechanism helps pull the cork out smoothly — so you don’t need to apply large upward force or “yank” on the bottle, making it easier for people with less hand strength or dexterity.

It is it is nicely designed and built like a tank. Perhaps too much so, because that limits its portability.

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