STORY BEHING IT
It is a personal project for my team and me to discover European makers who are unique and different.
Wine is a huge part of European culture. Hence it is not surprising that we found some great options to talk about.
After two years of proactively looking and testing different European wine openers, these are our favourites.
Campagnolo Big Corkscrew
MADE IN ITALY
Undeniably the biggest wine opener one can find out there. It is as large as the wine bottle itself and really stands out on the dinner table. As you can expect from such a big boy, it feels solid and luxury.
Interestingly, Campagnolo is known for making cycling components and for being a big part of Italian cycling history. Now they used their engineering experience to make - one piece of the art corkscrew. There is too much to mention here, but you can read my full Big Corkscrew Review if you want to learn more.
Pulltap's Waiter's Corkscrew
MADE IN SPAIN
This is a classic wine opener that wine professionals most commonly used. It does the job well, does not take much space so you (or the waiter) can keep it in the pocket.
So what makes Pulltap's different from the rest? It has a customisable and contemporary design. It comes in a variety of metal and body colours and designs that makes this wine opener look as you wish.
It is also great because it is made in Barcelona. Read my full Pulltap's Waiter's Corkscrew review if you like what you see.
Le Creuset 'Rabbit'
MADE IN FRANCE
I just love this wine opener for being so different. It clearly stands outs in any environment. At dinner, I had people asking how to use it. During the day, it looks great as a decoration in my contemporary kitchen. And, for my French girlfriend, it reminds her of her childhood when she grew up with Le Creuset pots and pans in the kitchen, back in France.
Also, it actually works well too! Out of all wine openers we tested, this one opens a bottle of wine the fastest.
It is a great wine opener - do read more in this full review.
L'Atelier du Vin - Bilamo Wine Opener
MADE IN FRANCE
It is a very different wine opener from what you probably have seen. The idea is that these two prongs do not penetrate the cork when you are pulling it out. Hence it is useful for older bottles with brittle cork.
I also like it because it was used by sommeliers in Paris to sip the wine from their customer bottles. Since the cork is not damaged it when you open it, they would help themselves using this genius tool.
This little boy is made by L'Atelier du Vin, a company that specialises in wine opening tools, and choses to make them at their workshop in France.
Westmark 'Pedro' Twin-Wing Wine Opener
MADE IN GERMANY
Differently from twin corkscrew from Italy, this wine opener will not cost you an arm and a leg. It is a little taller than the similar wine opener, but it is the best you can get at 40 EUR.
It is excellent and made from quality metal to last. Just what one would expect from something that is made in Germany.
It might lack the fancy box or a wow factor that four wine openers above would have. But sometimes the most simple things are the most reliable and joyful. They are just there, silently ready for us. So, if you do not need to impress people at the dinner table, and you don't want to spend too much - this is the one to get.
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