In history, everything has an origin, everything has a why. Also in the case of the corkscrew. It is, evidently, a gadget that appeared in our lives after the cork started to be used on wine bottles. In fact, this stopper was invented around 1670 and the corkscrew was not designed until the 18th century; the first recorded date was 1795, patent of Samuel Hensall.
And that first model was the popular “T” shaped corkscrew. It consists of a screw, which is the part that is inserted into the cork, with a base or handle (usually made of wood), which allows the element to be rotated and the cork to be extracted.
Types of corkscrews
Since that first proposal, the design of the corkscrew has changed considerably. The first variant did not take long to arrive. In 1802, Edward Thompson proposed an improvement to this model: he added a stopper to guide the user and facilitate the ascent of the cork.
However, each new version has made more and more evident “the defects” of this model, which requires a lot of strength and dexterity; catching the bottle under the arm or even between the legs to find the angle and be able to pull it up with the right temper to avoid throwing the bottle as well.
For this reason, we can currently find up to four other models, whose only function is focused on uncorking a bottle of wine.
- “Two times”. It is the most popular model today, used by most restaurant professionals and sommeliers. It is a foldable utensil that has a screw, a stopper to rest on the neck of the bottle and a folded handle that acts as a lever to pierce the cork and lift it without much effort. In addition, it usually has a blade to easily remove the paper that wraps the cork.
- “Of Wings”. This is the other most widespread model. With a matching screw, the handle is divided into two wings to help pry the plug out. It is more common in homes than in bars or restaurants.
- Compressed air. One of the newest models on the market is the compressed air corkscrew. It consists of a capsule that is inserted into the bottle by sticking a needle into the cork and, once the air pump is started, it absorbs the cork without damaging the bottle.
- “Láminas”. This is one of the most peculiar models, since it is usually used only with those aged bottles whose cork is damaged. In this case, the cap is not punctured or pierced, but “embraced” by joining the two sheets together.
Did you know all these corkscrew models? What do you usually use to uncork your favorite bottle of Barcolobo? If you have just finished your bottle and have to place a new order, be sure to stop by our online store.