Foil Corkscrew

This is a corkscrew from Esplanda's own range, and the name points to its main job: opening a foil-capped wine bottle. Corkscrews of this kind usually include a small blade or cutter for the capsule. The listing doesn't give materials, dimensions or the exact mechanism, so check the product photos for the specific design before you buy. Start by cutting the foil below the lip of the bottle, not at the top. A clean cut just under the raised ring of the glass keeps the capsule from touching the wine as it pours, and it leaves a neat edge. Wipe the exposed cork top if there is any residue or mold. Then centre the worm, the spiral part, on the cork and turn it steadily. Stop when the spiral is almost fully seated, so you don't push through the bottom of the cork and leave crumbs in the wine. Lift the cork out slowly, and ease the last few millimetres free by hand to avoid a loud pop, which matters most with older bottles and their fragile corks. A tool like this suits still wines closed with natural cork, from everyday reds and whites to bottles you've kept for years. For sparkling wine, don't use a corkscrew at all. Those corks sit under a wire cage and need to be twisted out by hand while the bottle is held at an angle. Once the bottle is open, serve it in the glass the wine calls for. Use a larger-bowled glass for reds, a medium tulip shape for whites, and a flute or tulip for sparkling. Also decide whether the bottle needs time to breathe before the first pour.