Steve Calderwood's - "From the Grapevine"
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The First Paradox of Wine Is in the Cork

By Steve Calderwood

It's the first paradox of wine: In order to get the cork out, you have to apply pressure that could push it in.

Over the years, inventive people have come up with a number of different tools to extract the darn thing in one piece without leaving pieces of cork floating in the wine. Let's take a look at these various tools and their strengths and weaknesses.

First and far and away the most popular is the waiter's screw. This is the one with the worm (that squiggly bit you stick into the cork) that folds up and has a knife blade attached. If you're a server, this is your only option (with two exceptions that I'll cover below.)

Probably the second most popular is the winged screw. You know, the one in your kitchen drawer that has the arms on it that go up as you screw the worm into the cork and can never quite get it out of the bottle. If you have one of them, my advice is to throw it away; I prefer using a Phillips-head screwdriver to push the cork into the bottle to those things.

The last two types have special applications and should be available for a server's use at all restaurants and it wouldn't hurt to have them at home either. The first is the "Ah So" cork puller. This is the one that has two blades that slip between the bottle and the cork and you then wiggle it back and forth while pulling up. These come in especially handy when you're using a waiter's screw, applying pressure on the cork to get the worm started, and all of a sudden the cork starts sliding down the neck of the bottle. Stop immediately and grab your Ah So and very slowly and gently work it down the sides of the cork, then pull it out. These can be life (or wine) savers.

The next type is the screwpull and it's actually my favorite. This one has a handle on the top that you twist to drive a very long, surgical steel, Teflon-coated worm though the cork and then pull out of the bottle. I find it easy to use and get the most consistent positive results from it.

While you can't use these in a restaurant as your regular opener (they're way too bulky to fit in an apron or pocket), there are two times when you should ditch the waiter's screw and grab the screwpull.

The first is with that $200 bottle of cabernet. Most high-end wine makers use a substantially longer cork than usual to protect their wine and a lot of the time a typical waiter's screw worm isn't long enough to get it out without the cork breaking off in the bottle. Because the screwpull worm is very long and sharp, it can pierce through the bottom of the cork without knocking cork particles into the wine before you slowly extract the full cork from the bottle.

The second reason to use this is on very old bottles of wine. Over time, sediment can work to "glue" a cork into a bottle and/or the cork can become dry and brittle. If you use a waiter's screw, you're more than likely to take that most prized possession of yours and turn it into a cork float. The screwpull applies even and flexible pressure throughout the cork and your chances of getting it out in one piece are greatly enhanced.

If you're a restaurateur with a decent wine list, please make sure that both the Ah So and screwpull corkscrews are available to your staff. Your guests and your staff will thank you.

On to our upcoming wine events.

First off, the Tasters Guild is having its next tasting on Monday, Nov. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. There's a change of venue to the Strip House at the Reach Resort. The cost is $25 for members. Call Terry at 292-4004 for reservation or more info on the guild.

Then an event that is dear to my heart, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Grand Key Resort. It's the annual Sunset Rotary "Wining for the Animals" wine tasting. Benefiting the SPCA, the cost is $20 and tickets can be purchased by calling Bill at 294-3297, Historic Cigar Alley at 294-2224 or at the door.

That same evening, at 6:30 p.m., Antonia's is having its 25th annual AIDS Help dinner. The cost is $100. Reservations can be made by calling Pam DeMala at 296-6196.

Next up is my favorite monthly event, the food and wine pairing at Hot Tin Roof. It's on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. sharp. Now that the snowbirds are back, this event is selling out so call the Ocean Key House to book your seats. The cost is $32.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, we have two dinners at the same time (I hate it when they do that). First is Croissant de France's next wine dinner ushering in the fall season. It's four courses with four lovely wines and the cost is $35. It starts at 7 p.m. and reservations can be had by calling 294-2624; seating is limited.

That same evening, also at 7 p.m., Kelly's Caribbean is having its first wine dinner of the new season and this one is "Italy Versus New World Wines." With each of the five courses, you'll receive two wines to taste with the dish and then pick your favorite. The cost is $65, inclusive of tax and tip. Reservations may be made at 293-8484.

Finally, Upstairs at Louie's is kicking off the new season with its first Art, Wine & Water series on Monday, Nov. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $15 and includes the wine tasting, art show and appetizers by Doug Shook. All the wines will be available for purchase at discounted prices.

That's it for this week, so until next time -- wine a bit, you'll feel better.