7 Best Wine Openers, According to a Sommelier
Including everything from a traditional wine key to a wine preserver!
By Dana Beninati and Rachel Trujillo for Food Network Kitchen
Pairing a meal, appetizer or cozy night at home with a glass of wine undoubtedly makes for an enjoyable experience, but the same can’t always be said for actually getting that bottle of wine open in the first place. Depending on what gadget you’re using, you might be doomed from the start. To avoid any faux pas when opening your next bottle, we talked to Food Network Kitchen’s resident sommelier, Dana Beninati, to get her list of the best wine openers on the market. From cutting the foil to preserving a half-finished bottle of wine, she has a go-to opener for any situation. (And if you prefer letting an electric opener do all the work for you, we’ve got a selection for that, too.) Keep reading to find the best opener for your next wine night.
"Many of us overlook the first step in the proper opening of a bottle of wine. Before you can access the cork, you must first remove the decorative foil that a winemaker adheres to a bottle to protect the cork. While some wine openers include a small knife to cut the foil, others do not! I love these cutters for easy and clean access to the cork."
"More than just a wine opener, this device actually helps preserve wine by only releasing the amount of wine you are ready to drink. This device gently inserts a needle into the cork, allowing wine to escape as gas is pumped into the bottle to protect the wine that remains. Wine decreases in quality when its bottle is opened (thanks to air exposure), so it is best to only remove what is wanted."
"This opener is far more functional than a standard wine key, thanks to its double-lever design. The second lever makes it nearly effortless to remove even the most stubborn of corks. Its thin design makes it ideal for pocket storage, and it also includes a small knife to cut through the top foil."
"Ideal for those who suffer from arthritis or weak hand strength, these openers make it possible to remove the cork from any bottle of wine, even while blindfolded. Keep pressing the button, and most models will also release the cork automatically too."
"These openers will make you believe in magic! Like the Coravin, air pressure wine openers also employ a needle. However, they don't help to preserve the wine as the cork is fully removed, hence their friendly price point. Their design pushes a long needle into the cork and then pumps air under the cork to lift it out of the bottle neck."
"A very traditional wine opener, the Ah-So is ideal for wines at least 10 to 15 years of age. As wine ages, the cork can become quite fragile. This tool has a very gentle approach to opening a bottle, as it never actually pierces the cork. Instead it uses metal prongs and slow, twisting motions to squeeze the cork up out of the bottle neck, avoiding the risk of a crumbled cork."
"The most dramatic way to open any bottle of sparkling wine is with none other than a saber. The smooth edge of this specialty knife pairs perfectly with the atmospheric pressure built up inside a bottle of sparkling wine, resulting in the ultimate party POP!"
