Vin Collections

There always seems to be a lot of hoopla over the latest and greatest cork-extracting mechanisms. They sell based on whimsy, proported ease of use, and technical innovation. The problem is that they are also heavy and unwieldy, tether you to electricity, and can randomly cause your bottle to explode. Not only that, but shopping online for “the rabbit” turns up some interesting results, the electric ones look oddly like a Williams-Sonoma hand blender, and if you’re unlucky enough to poke yourself with a pump model and inject some CO2 into your body, well, let’s just say that life will not be fun. Truly, nothing beats the lowly ‘waiter’s friend’ style of corkscrew, aka – the sommelier’s knife. Although using one may require a touch of elbow grease, they are lightweight, easily fit in a pocket, and they generally have no unnecessary constructs or appendages other than the worm (corkscrew), foil knife, lever, and a bottle cap opener. Of the many options available, the best waiter’s friends (other than big tippers) are Laguioles.

Pronounced [lah-yole], [la-yoll] or [lie-yule], depending on the speaker’s inflection and French language skills (to approximate the pronunciation in English, look at the third option and think “lying about Christmas”), the key to finding a great Laguiole is avoiding the sea of inferior products. Technically, these products can not be called forgeries because Laguiole is not a protected name, it is simply a style of knife. There is no company or organization which bears the title Laguiole or owns the rights to it. Laguiole is merely a town in France filled with artisans who unfortunately failed to properly secure their economic future with some sort of AOC-esq designation, brand protection, or patent. This has allowed the popular ‘Laguiole style’ to be easily replicated and readily branded as such by anyone who chooses to do so. Vast quantities of Laguiole-branded products are produced in China, Pakistan, and other areas of France (namely Thiers), in order to capitalize on the appeal of the original design aspects.

To guarantee a quality product, the first goal is to try and purchase a Laguiole-style corkscrew which was actually produced in, or near, the town of Laguiole (or, alternatively from Rodez, about 60km away, where the original style was also developed). There are several other informal informational sources which discuss this topic, including how to determine the veracity and origin of Laguiole knives, the various points of which can be similarly applied to the corkscrews. However, much of this information is still unverifiable and tenuous at best. For example, only one of the three major corkscrew brands on the Laguiole website is even made in Laguiole (the Forge de Laguiole brand). An addendum to these points would be to purposefully search out Laguiole items which are imperfect, as this can often be the visual marker between a machine-built or hand-crafted product. Examples would include slightly out of alignment pins on the Shepard’s or Three Bishops Cross, and unique chisel marks on the spring back. The unfortunate downside of this method is that it is often difficult to see these imperfections when ordering online, even from the most informative and reputable sources**. The best solution, short of a trip to France, is to make a punch-list of independent quality markers and take it along for a hand inspection at a retailer.

Armed with a fine Laguiole, almost no other tools are necessary to open just about any bottle of wine, possibly with the exception of very old port, or stuck champagne corks. Of course, knowing a few other bottle-opening methods can make for some great showmanship and amusement.

All the best luck in searching for one of these superior products. Remember that even if the old wing corkscrew, butler’s friend, or bench-mounted throw-back does the trick, there is something special and remarkable about a hand-built Laguiole.

**This website is the best current recommendation for online ordering. Be aware that hand-built Laguioles are not inexpensive, however, the quality of craftsmanship is worth the price.