Corks and corkscrews

Opening a bottle of wine is second nature to us all, however the methods of opening a bottle are in fact varied. Whilst some are quite simple and straightforward, others can be more showmanlike.

Corks and cork alternatives

Corks vary from natural material and to man made. The majority of corks grow in plantations, mainly in Portugal and Spain, and are made from the bark of the oak tree called the cork oak (Quercus suber). The bark is stripped off the tree and used to make corks. This does not damage the tree, as it re-grows new bark. A mature tree can produce 200kg of cork every nine years for as long as 200 years.

Standard cork

This is made up of a single piece of bark. It is around 24mm in diameter and relies on the elasticity of the cork to seal the bottle. These are the most expensive corks and are recommended if you are planning on storing your wine for over a year.

Agglomerate cork

This is produced from tiny pieces of chopped cork which are glued together. Compared to the standard cork they are a lot cheaper to produce, therefore recommended if you are planning on storing wine for less than a year.

Champagne cork

This is made from three pieces of cork which are all sandwiched together. The mushroom like head sticks out from the top of the bottle, allowing you to get a better grip when easing it out.

Although, natural cork is considered the sign of traditional value and quality, there are some concerns when using it. Corked wine is the result of fungal contamination, wine tainted with a chemical called trichloroanisole (TCA for short). This produces a musty, cardboard taste, in particular, with agglomerate corks, a glue-like aroma or taste tainting the wine is detected. Many winemakers are now opting for alternative methods of corks including the synthetic cork and screw cap.

Corked wine is the reason for the little ceremony in restaurants, where the waiter asks one person at the table to taste the wine. Not to worry, if the wine is corked, you will know! Send it back and get another one.

Sythetic cork

This is made from plastic and is quite often designed to look like a natural cork. Brands seem to be opting for this option as natural cork is expensive and can cause fungal contamination resulting in corked wine.

There is no proof as yet that wines bottled using synthetic cork age in the same way as wine bottled using natural cork. Another concern about synthetic cork is that they strip the Teflon coating from more expensive models of corkscrews. It is recommended to use a butterfly model corkscrew when removing these corks.

Screw cap

The screw cap, most commonly known as a "Stelvin slosure" is an extremely efficient method of sealing any kind of bottle, including wine. Stelvins are currently used by some producers to seal wine intended for drinking in their youth and there isn't any evidence as yet, concerning long term ageing necessary for producers to switch from cork to Stelvin.

Corkscrews

The design of the corkscrew is very important when deciding on what corkscrew is suitable to use. Corkscrews with a screw design and hollow center are best, which are the majority of corkscrews. These grip well as they are screwed into the cork, therefore making removal easy. At the cheaper end of the market, these screws are made from a central rod with a blade running around the margin. The grip on these screws is minimal and although they may suffice for synthetic corks, they don't work well on natural corks which are prone to splitting. It is recommended to avoid these cheaper corkscrews if possible and invest in a more expensive corkscrew.

Screwpull

Although somewhat more expensive then other corkscrews, the design of the screwpull is extremely popular. The process is highly efficient reducing the removal of the cork in one effortless screw action. The Teflon coated screw is easily introduced into the cork and by continuing to twist as the head hits the guide, the cork is gently coaxed from the bottle. These screws are worth the expenditure and used correctly, they last very well.

Waiter's friend

This corkscrew is popular with waiters as it is compact and efficient, hence the name. Once the screw is in the cork, the lever is positioned against the rim of the neck of the bottle thus the cork is then pulled. One problem with this design is chipping of the glass around the rim of the bottle. However, they are inexpensive and can easily be carried in your pocket or tucked away in a bag making it quite handy for emergencies.

Butterfly

This is an efficient, popular if fairly weighty design. As the screw goes into the cork the lever arms are forced upwards. Once the screw is in, extraction of the cork results in forcing the arms down. These are handy to have around for use on synthetic corks as the Teflon coating on your Screwpull will be striped over time if used on synthetic corks.

Butler's friend

This allows you to remove and replace the cork without a trace. The two prongs are inserted both sides of the cork and are removed by a combined twisting and pulling action. This is quite a cleaver way of removing a cork.

Compressed air

These ancient contraptions were popular during the 1970s and early 1980s. They are rarely seen today probably because of the number of stories told about the exploding bottles and injuries resulting from flying glass.

How they work is a needle is inserted through the cork and air is pumped into the bottle by hand, or by a compressed air canister. The cork is forced out by the increased pressure within the bottle, hence the exploding bottle! This device is NOT recommended.

Corkscrew-less

There are methods of removing the cork without using a corkscrew. One method used by bored cavalryman is to swipe the top off their bottle of Champagne using a sabre. It sounds odd but this technique does work and can be performed using a large kitchen knife. However, please be careful. This course of action is not recommended.

The technique to opening champagne

Although champagne doesn't require a corkscrew there is a technique to opening it. Make sure the bottle is standing upright. Find the wire loop underneath the foil capsule and pull it out and downwards, tearing the capsule as you do so. Grasp the neck of the bottle holding your thumb over the cork. This prevents the cork from flying out. Undo the wire loop and loosen the cage.

Now, keeping your thumb over the cork, pick up the bottle. Grasp the cork between thumb and forefinger and using the other hand twist the bottle away from it. Control the release of the cork with your thumb and continue twisting the bottle away from the cork. Once the cork is released you should hear a gentle sigh of carbon dioxide escaping. If you hear a loud pop then this suggests you haven't controlled the extraction of the cork adequately, thus resulting in a spray of champagne. An "erotic sigh" is what you are looking to achive.