Corkscrews
Vocabulary
Worm: the spiral part on the very end. When the worm turns
to the right, it is called a right-hand threaded corkscrew, and designed
for a right-handed person. The opposite is true for left-handed persons.
Pitch: the space between each spiral.
Handle: the top part, made of wood, metal or plastic.
History
The first recorded use of cork as
a stopper was by the Egyptians. It was widely used by the Greeks for
stoppers as well as buoys, sandals, and in sea vessels. Romans used
it for construction of roofs for houses and beehives. It was
the French monk Dom Pérignon who first used cork as a wine
closure in the 1600s, thus beginning the
modernization of this technique.
The world's first cork producing factory opened
in Anguine, Spain in the 1750s. Cork stoppers also arrived
in Portugal in the 1700s and in Oporto they began being used to allow
wine to age in glass bottles. Between 1890 and 1917 the workforce
doubled for cork production in Portugal and it became the world's
leading producer.
Production of Cork
Many people don't realize that the cork used to close their wine bottles is actually an entire industry in itself. Cork is harvested just once every nine years from the bark of the cork trees during the spring and summer months. However, these trees are not mature enough to be harvested until they are 25 years old. Cork forests are located in Portugal (which produces 55 % of the world's cork), Spain, and Maghreb. After harvest, cork must be seasoned to stabilize its level of moisture and prepare it for drying.
Corks are dried off of the ground to ensure maximum aeration and prevent microbiological contamination. Only the thick bark is sorted out and used for wine stoppers. Bark from the base of the tree and thinner bark is of a lower grade and it used for insulation and floor tiling.
Corks are boiled in purified water to extract volatile organic contaminants and to get rid of any contaminants. After corks reach the correct amount of moisture they are sliced into strips that are then run through the machine that "punches" the corks into their final shape. Finally, using an abrasive stone these corks are polished and trimmed to the correct measurements, they are dried, and then cooked in an oven. For these corks to be used in wine bottles the manufacturer must stamp the cork with the correct wine and producer and then the cork is coated with wax or resin to make it easily inserted into the bottles.
Tips
There are four basic steps to opening a bottle of wine. First remove the wax disc and the debris from the top of the bottle. Insert the worm into the cork.
Extract the cork from the bottle, and finally remove the cork from the corkscrew.
The main idea behind removing a cork is that the cork stays still while the worm turns. When it is firmly embedded, the cork between the pitch is lifted out by the corkscrew. The removal is completed with basic principles of leverage and torque.
A good worm should be helical with round and not sharp edges. Sharp edges shred the cork, and with older wines with soft corks, this could prove disastrous. Some worms end with a knob. These worms center well and begin easily, but tend not to follow in an even spiral, and must break new ground all the way down.
Occasionally when opening a bottle of wine, pieces of the cork, or the whole cork, may break apart and fall into the wine. If this happens, don't panic.
Improvise with a pitcher or decanter and a strainer or funnel.
Which came first, the corkscrew or the cork? Actually, it was wine that came first. Corks came second, and corkscrews were developed last of all. Myth has it that the spiral shape of corkscrews were inspired by the vinous tendrils of grapevines. However, cork was used (long before wine came in bottles) to stopper bottles containing a variety of things like perfume, cosmetics and medicine.
Up to the end of the 17th century, bottles were rare and expensive. The few bottles that did exist were protected by wicker or straw, and stoppered by wooden plugs covered in linen and wax.
A corked bottle system was not necessary because wine was not stored in bottles for long-term keeping, but more often for serving. Most wine was stored in casks or barrels.
The barrels prevented contamination and assured proper sealing and quality. Selling of wine in bottles was forbidden until May of 1728, when sturdy "black glass" arrived in England. It was determined that this glass could hold wine for a significant amount of time without compromising its quality. Around this same time a cork was invented to accompany the new bottles.
Cork proved more sanitary than wood, and England traded sheep and wool with Portugal for cork. The original corks protruded beyond the bottle and were easy to remove. As cork production evolved, there arose a need for a device to extract the cork. Samuel Henshall of England filed for the first corkscrew patent in 1795.
Bottling caught on in France in the region of Champagne, where they realized that sparkling wine fared better in a bottle than a barrel. It also gained popularity in conjunction with English beer and cider making, because of their similarly sparkling nature.
Pocket corkscrews are simply a handle, a very short shank and a short worm. These were developed in 18th century England for small vials and household use and were needed several times a day. The worms were always made of plain, strong steel, but the handles could be quite ornate and decorative, depending on their origin. Animals and designs, with loops, swirls, and engravings were common. Dutch silver corkscrews were famous for small sculptures on the handles. The shanks often came apart and doubled as pipe tampers and cleaners. The handles of the 19th century began to advertise the name of companies, wineries and towns. Folding corkscrews were another kind of pocket corkscrew, with the worm on a hinge that folded up inside the area of the handle for protection.
T-Handle Corkscrews
Pocket corkscrews are similar in shape to T-handle corkscrews. The difference is in the size, with the latter being larger. These corkscrews also have no mechanical parts, and the work is done with hand, arm and shoulder muscles, plus the leg muscles that are sometimes needed to hold a bottle steady. The shape is simple, with a handle and worm. Older handles of this variety may have been made with tortoise shell, rosewood, ivory, bone or horn. Contemporary models are made of metals or plastics.
Mechanical Corkscrews Any feature that aides with the extraction of the cork, outside of manual work, renders a corkscrew eligible for the mechanical label. The main idea is to reduce the amount of labor involved. Early versions included various grippers, such as a small bell shaped piece that fit over the mouth of the bottle, positioned at the top of the worm to hold the cork in place while the worm rotated into the flesh of the cork.
Lever Corkscrews A lever corkscrew is defined by an arm that acts as a lever against the bottle's edge. It works in either an upward or downward motion. It is technically also a mechanical corkscrew. Some versions of this corkscrew involve folding parts. A common model is called the "waiter's friend" and is found in restaurants around the world.
Two-armed levers A typical modern version involves the bell-shaped piece at the top of the worm, and two levers on each side. The handle is shaped like a triangle or circle, and the corkscrew has the appearance of a person, with the levers working as the "arms." These are known as two-armed corkscrews. Two-armed corkscrews were developed simultaneously in the 1920's by French and Italian designers.
Figurative Corkscrews From the beginning craftsmen recognized the corkscrew as another opportunity for art and expression. Corkscrews were often elaborately decorated, and this style came to be known as the figurative corkscrew. Where they excelled in presentation, they ran the risk of failing in function. Corkscrew aficionados scorned these corkscrews as mere show, but they have gained a place among some of the more favored collectors' items.
