We get it. Life is busy. At one time or another, we’ve all been guilty of rushing to ensure dinner guests glasses are suitably topped up or perhaps just not giving enough thought to the bottle we’re about to open. What if we slowed down the pace? Opening a bottle of wine can be divinely ritualistic should you take the time.

As with any good ritual, you’ll require some tools to support a successful outcome. Whether you are a wine opening magician or beginner, the following should have you covered:

BOTTLE OPENER (THE WAND)

An important tool for enjoying your wine, one would think. Why, then, do we not put more thought into this magical contraption? Possibly you have… maybe it’s gathering dust in the utensil drawer thanks to all the exceptional wines now released under a screw cap.

But what do you do when you come across cork? Is it just like riding a bike – do you remember how to use your waiter’s friend? You don’t want to find out with your 1982 Cabernet Shiraz, that’s for sure!

Let’s quickly check in on your goals. 1. don’t break the cork, 2. don’t break the cork and 3. don’t break the cork. There is nothing quite like the sensation of teeny bits of cork bobbing around your mouth to ruin a great wine.

Some considerations for your next bottle opener purchase:

Corkscrew – Best used for bottles under ten years. Over ten years old, you run the risk of coming across cork degradation, and there are better options available.

• Twist and Pull Corkscrew: Use when you want to show off, providing you can use it!
• Difficulty level – bloody hard to use.

• Waiters Friend: 6 half turns, and a gentle pull will get your bottle open. A favourite amongst connoisseurs, sommeliers and restaurateurs alike. Plus, it’s compact and easy to carry to your Instagram-styled picnic.
• Difficulty level - takes some skill to master.

• Winged Corkscrew: A little centering, twisting, and a push down on the wings and voilà, the cork pops out. It can be unreliable, however.
• Difficulty level - easy to use.

• Lever corkscrew: Grip the bunny ears around the bottle and simply lower and lift the handle to release the cork. Great for novices.
• Difficulty level – easy to use.

• Legacy corkscrew: Like the lever corkscrew, however, it mounts to the bar or table.
• Difficulty level – easy to use.

• Electric wine opener: Open your bottle with the touch of a button. Easy to use but removes some of the pleasure of uncorking a bottle of wine.
• Difficulty level – gift this to aunty Val. Her arthritic hands will love it!

• Ah-so: Much gentler on the cork, making it the perfect go-to for wines ten years and above. Tackle old crumbly corks and celebrate your triumphs. Word to the wise: take it slowly to avoid pushing your cork into the bottle.
• Difficulty level – not easy; it takes some practice.



DECANTING VS AERATORS (THE CAULDRON)

The endgame is simple: separate your convivial wine from the gunk (sediment). Sediment is a byproduct of the winemaking process: seeds, grape skin, tartrates and dead yeast cells. You find more sediment in aged wine because the particles have had more time to settle and drop out of the mixture. As so eloquently expressed in a previous WD: Older wines, like older humans, often require a little more consideration – and gentler handling. Please keep this in mind when reaching for your aerator.

Decanting (old school): The art of pouring wine carefully into a glass decanter (and allowing it to sit for 30-60 minutes or more depending on the wine) not only separates it from the sediment but experientially improves the aromatics and flavours of your wine, allowing it to show at its best. Read more.

Aerators (new school): As its name eludes, it oxygenates your wine (in a matter of seconds). As a rule of thumb, you can aerate young red, tannic wines with bold flavours and full-bodied whites. If in doubt, aerate one glass and determine the difference.

WARNING! Do NOT use on old fragile wines…

WINE PRESERVERS (THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE)

You’ve opened your best bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon on a weeknight. Whilst the temptation is not to leave a drop behind, it’s a school night, and you know it’s best to enjoy it in moderation.

Oxygen can be an open bottle of wine’s arch enemy, turning your most coveted bottle into vinegar over time. Yecch! A wine preserver limits the amount of oxygen getting into your wine, preserving it for your next evening meal.

Below you will find three excellent options to keep your wine as fresh as the day your opened it (or very close to!):

Vacuum pump + stopper: preserves wine by creating a vacuum seal.

Inert gas: preserves wine by spraying gas into the bottle and reinserting the cork.

Coravin: opens a bottle without uncorking it, using a needle and injecting argon gas whilst wine is dispensed. The perfect system for fine wine!

Your next wine opening ritual may not be emphatical wand waving. Still, you certainly have the knowledge (and hopefully tools) to turn your wine-opening experience into cherished memories. We’ll await your invitation!