What corkscrew do you use on older (pre 70) Port bottles?

SEAN C. · Post by **SEAN C.** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:17 pm

On most port bottles from 1970 or older I use a screwpull or occasionally a winged corkscrew combined with gentle pulling to remove the cork. A good percentage of the time I still have problems with the cork breaking. With most of the 77's, 83's, and 85's I have no problems using the new rabbit type. I have never had any luck with the ah-so or two pronged type, and have never used a simple waiters corkscrew. Has anyone ever tried the gas pressurized pneumatic pump or cartridge based type corkscrew on a bottle of Port? Or what have you had the best luck with?
Should I just switch to hot iron tongs?

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:25 pm

Tongs will work but my beloved spouse, Victoria, aka She Who Must Be Obeyed has great success running the backside of a heavy butcher knife sharply against the glass ridge at the neck of the bottle . I have souveineirs of bottle necks with cork intact , that she has opened this way. I then simply pour the port through a mesh filter funnel into a decanter. You can do this with almost any wine bottle and with any heavy metal tool such as a large pair of pliers. I have seen her do it so many times, I have great faith in the method.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:27 pm

I use the Ah-so on all older corks. Never had problem using it, but it does take practice and LOTS of patience.

As for the gas, I recall Roy having a touch of bad luck (like a bottle shattering in his hands) using the gas pressurized contraption. older bottles are not always uniform in their quality or thickness of glass. Thus, they are more prone to shattering under pressure.

But, my vote goes to tongs! I've used them before, and besides being a cool way to open a bottle in front of friends, the cork ALWAYS come out in one piece

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:24 pm

I just use a typical waiters friend. Seems to work for me. Tongs would be cool, but just seems to take too much preparation time. Patience with the Freind seems to work with me.

Jay

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:26 am

I've got a couple of old empty bottles lying around that are going to go for recycling soon. I might try opening them "a la Victoria" and see if I get get whole corks out that way.

Could be fun....don't tell the Health and Safety guys. :twisted:

Alex

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:41 pm

rahenderson wrote:Victoria, aka She Who Must Be Obeyed has great success running the backside of a heavy butcher knife sharply against the glass ridge at the neck of the bottle.

She opens port bottles with a knife like one would open a Champagne bottle? I thought there would have to be back pressure to sheer the neck off? I do it all the time to Champagne, but would never imagine doing it to port!

Ronald Wortel · Post by **Ronald Wortel** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:59 am

Tongs! 8)

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:38 pm

Yes, Moses, she opens the port the same way that champagne is opened with a knife or sabre. Back pressure has nothing to do with it.
Note the blunt back side of the knife is used.
I like tongs but you really have to get a white hot fire to get them hot enough. It simply heats and creats a weak spot in the glass and when cooled suddenly with a wet cloth , there is a click and it snaps off.
I am not sure why, but when the blade hits the little lip of glass at the neck of the bottle next to the cork, it snaps off in much the same way as with hot tongs.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:08 pm

rahenderson wrote:Yes, Moses, she opens the port the same way that champagne is opened with a knife or sabre. Back pressure has nothing to do with it.

As much as I would like to use tongs, I am not sure how I would get them that hot except for getting a small torch. I am sure that would work and make the house smell wonderful!

I am going to give the chef's knife a try on a Porto Morgado or something cheap...

Ronald Wortel · Post by **Ronald Wortel** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:52 pm

I use a gas torch for heating the tongs. It works fine and fast. No problems with smell whatsoever.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:01 pm

Ronald Wortel wrote:I use a gas torch for heating the tongs. It works fine and fast. No problems with smell whatsoever.

Ditto for me

SEAN C. · Post by **SEAN C.** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:39 pm

Really? blowtorch & tongs are the way to go?
Any secrets to note so I don't screw something up?
Also where is the best place to get a pair of tongs...anyone seen any antique ones around?

Stuart Chatfield · Post by **Stuart Chatfield** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 4:03 am

I'd be grateful if someone could remind us about tongs. There were some threads about this earlier in the year and I thought we'd pinned down a good suplier, but it all happend when I was (like just now) buried under work and missed it. Can someone remind us who was supplying them?

For the record, I suggest anyone in England who is a Wine Society Member should just get a "Society's Bottlescrew". It is just an ordinary corkscrew, but about 1/2 inch longer and about 1/4 inch broader. I've never had any trouble with any bottles less than about 50 years old using this (except newer Vesuvio or Bomfim bottles where the neck is narrow and the problem is reversed - i.e. not crumbly corks but I just need a waiter's friend type to get enough leverage to pull it out!)

John Danza · Post by **John Danza** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:37 am

I usually use the air pressure pneumatic pump. It's worked for me every time on vintages as old as 1908.

Because I'm always concerned about a bottle shattering, I usually pump a few times to get the pressure in the bottle up a bit and then I start to wiggle the needle a bit. This tends to break the seal around the very top of the cork and gets the cork moving upwards a bit. Then I give it a few more pumps while still giving a little wiggle to get it to raise enough for me to get my finger and thumb on the top of the cork. From that point, I pull on the top a bit while pumping to give the air some help. The corks usually come out in one piece just fine.

The sabre or tongs method works for a lot of people, but it gives me the willys. The idea of a glass shard getting away from me and possibly consumed is enough of a deterrent for me.

All the best,
John Danza

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:13 am

I want thongs... I mean tongs... Where are they for sale?