sommelier's tool

NI200

NI200

Joined
Dec 20, 2000
Messages
462
I'm looking for a new toy that could open a wine bottle. It has to be sharp, of course ;) Currently I'm using laguiole with corkscrew. It does the trick but some of my friends prefer beer and then a cheap and ugly bottle opener comes up. I use SAK Waiter when outdoors but IMO it doesn't look good on a dinner table either. Kershaw sommelier's tool and SOG Vino are quite similar and both look OK to me though they quite differ in price. What do you guys use (on that rare occasion) to open a bottle of wine?
 
AG Russell has a nice looking one in their catalog. Also Laguiole sells many models with corkscrews.
Bob
 
stjames is right...for sheer ease of use, the levered-screwpull type openers are hard to beat (and they work amazingly well). The Metrokane rabbit is one of the best values for this type. They're just not quite as easy to keep in your pocket as the traditional sommelier's tool ;).

There are some truly beautiful Lagiuole sommelier’s tools available with exotic materials and exquisite craftsmanship; unfortunately the ones I’ve seen have been very pricey and not particularly easy to operate (very elegant, though). My particular favorite in this genre is the SOG Vino. After years of buying cheap “waiter’s tools” that always seem to self-destruct after a few uses, I decided that I’d spend a little more and get a quality product. The Vino is solidly built and well-designed…comfortable shape, nifty little one-hand foil knife, and a grooved corkscrew that works much better than the other tools of this type that I’ve tried. It’s reasonably priced, and seems to be constructed to last. It also looks a little more elegant at the table than the good ol’ SAK :). The Kershaw Sommelier’s Tool (the one with the wood inlays) looks very nice, but seems somewhat expensive for this kind of product. So…if you’re a serious oenophile and have already spent thousands of dollars on your cellar and accessories, I’d go with one of the fancy Laguioles…if you’re just a regular guy who enjoys an occasional bottle, the Vino might be just the ticket. YMMV, of course ;).

Hmmm…between the Vino and their new little neck knife with the integral bottle opener, SOG may well be on their way to becoming the drinking man’s cutlery manufacturer of choice :).

Jim
 
That’s an extraordinary piece, Para, but how would you use it to pop the top on your brewskis? I wonder if Mr. Embretsen could be persuaded to make a Damascus “church key” style opener ;). Ahh, to have the money to indulge in such toys…
 
Valentines day approaching, so I get a vino from SOG. I don't know if I'm spoiled or what, but i'm not impressed for the 40 bucks. since I have 3 free sommolier's tools that are pretty good, maybe the real test will be time. the thumbstud is hellish on my thumb, let alone my girlfriend's. anyone else care to add?
 
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