Baldwin Winged Corkscrew

The Baldwin Winged Corkscrew from Esplanda is a winged-lever corkscrew. This design is one of the most common for opening still and sparkling-wine-style cork closures at home. A spiral worm (the screw) is driven into the cork by turning a handle. As it descends, two side levers, the wings, rise. Pressing the wings down lifts the cork out in one smooth pull. Because the wings do the lifting, you need less wrist strength than with a plain T-handle, and the cork comes up straight. To use it, remove the foil below the lip of the bottle and set the tip of the worm in the centre of the cork. Turn the handle clockwise, keeping the corkscrew upright, until the wings have lifted level or nearly level. Stop before the worm reaches the bottom of the cork, since going all the way through risks crumbs in the wine. Then press the wings down together to draw the cork. Old or dry corks are the usual trouble spot, so go slowly and keep the worm centred. If one starts to crumble, ease the pull rather than forcing it. This tool suits natural-cork bottles, which covers most table wines, and it is a sensible choice for anyone who opens a bottle a few times a week. It is less suited to waiters'-style one-handed service, where a folding corkscrew is quicker and more compact. Keep it in a drawer or bar tray beside your stemware, and wipe the worm clean and dry after use so residue doesn't build up.