Here at SE Drinks Headquarters, we open a lot of wine. A lot of wine. And I found myself, in the middle of tasting my way through all of the crus of Beaujolais, with a broken corkscrew, perhaps the most essential tool of the job. As I dug through my drawers of crummy promotional corkscrews, I wondered: which is the best tool for this job? Which will really last? Which will leave me struggling and pulling and slipping and fighting to get the cork out of the bottle, and which will make bottle-opening easy? Which corkscrew is actually worth buying as a gift? I headed over to Wine Enthuasiast's online shop and checked out the options, from a super-cheap plastic-handled waiter's style corkscrew to the fancy wood-handled 'elite' version. They sent me a few samples to test out, and my friend Vinny Eng came to my rescue (there was gamay to taste!) with the gift of a Truetap, which is the wine key he generally uses to open bottles at Bar Tartine. Can a five-dollar corkscrew do the job?

But this plastic-bodied waiter's style corkscrew feels cheap in your hand, and is rough at the edges. The large knife cuts through foil well, but the coil is quite short compared to the other corkscrews I tried, so it doesn't go very deep into the corks, and that makes it a bit trickier to get the lever to rest on the lip of the bottle. You can do better than this, folks, and you definitely shouldn't buy this as a gift. At $6, the Truetap is a much, much better choice. The knife is quite small, but it's easy to release and use (the Pulltap below had a knife that was a bit harder to open, but your mileage may vary.) The coil is thicker, longer, and less tightly-wound than the plastic corkscrew above, but it was coated with a black coating that has begun to rub off after opening only 10 bottles or so. I'm not sure how much the coating matters, since it's not going to touch any of the wine you drink. It's easy to use the Truetap, and the lever stays in place nicely. Pulltap is a go-to brand for wine folks, and I can see why.

The construction feels sturdy, the lever is solid, and the knife is sharp. The coil is a little thicker than the Truetap, and so far the coating hasn't rubbed off. But I had some trouble getting the knife out of its slot. Once the foil was gone, though, this was the easiest-opening corkscrew of the waiter-style corkscrews I tried. Is it more than 3 times easier than the Truetap, though, to justify the price? I'm not certain about that. I gotta say, this is a gorgeous corkscrew. It feels the most giftable of the waiter-style options in terms of aesthetics, with its thick walnut handle and heavy lever. The foil-removing knife is huge and curved (it made me feel a bit like a pirate) and made for the cleanest foil-cut of the bunch. But the ribbed, very thick coil, is a bit of a struggle to turn into the cork, and it didn't feel as easy to rachet the cork out since the lever kept slipping off the bottle rim. All style, no substance? Waiter-style corkscrews are handy to keep in your pocket (if you're a waiter) or take on a picnic;

they fit easily in drawers and they tend to last quite a while. But people like wine-opening toys to give as gifts, so I decided to try two higher-end corkscrews as well. You may get credit in certain crowds for being able to handle a traditional waiter's wine key with ease, but as a person who struggles with carpal tunnel (and opens lots of bottles) I'm really just looking for the easiest way out. buy best red wine online indiaAnd plenty of people at home are intimidated by the waiter's corkscrew and want an easier way. best red wine brands price in indiaIs a Rabbit (Sex and the City jokes aside) the answer?best wine tasting menu The Rabbit comes with a handy round foil cutter that has a concealed knife. best wine to bring as gift

You squeeze it around the top of the bottle, turning in a circular motion, and foil is cut away without any flailing knives or cut fingers. It's easy, clean, and safe...and I might start using it even if I'm opening a bottle with the waiter-style corkscrew. To get the cork out using the Rabbit, you hold the side handles tight and raise the lever so that the corkscrew lowers into the cork. Then you pull that lever back down to draw the cork out of the bottle. top 20 wine typesThere's no twisting or turning, but you do have to hold tightly, and it still takes a bit of strength. top fruit wine recipeI'd say it's more foolproof than the waiter-style keys for beginners, but not worth the drawer space for anyone who has mastered the old fashioned kind of wine opener. Can we take all the effort out of opening wine? This is a pretty cool party trick, complete with bright blue light (it's not recommended that you turn the house lights off while you open bottles, but it would be pretty fun to watch.)

This one comes with a foil cutter, too, and once the foil is removed, you hold the opener vertically over the bottlle. It's not recommended for use with synthetic corks—check out the cork once you've removed the foil and make sure it's not rubbery. Composite should be fine. Press the down button, holding the bottle tight, and the blue light shines. The coil goes into the cork (there's a sort of scary moment where it feels like it's not going to latch in) and then draws the cork out of the bottle. There's absolutely no effort or muscle involved, which is kind of amazing. As cheesy as it is, I'd buy this as a gift for wine-loving friends and especially for someone with an arm or shoulder injury. Have you tried any of these corkscrews? Or do you have another favorite tool? All corkscrews except the Truetap provided as samples for review.Welcome to CLUB MUTT Don’t you just hate it when you reach for a bottle of our Mutt Lynch wines, only to find your wine rack, pantry or cellar empty of the best doggone wine made today? 

We have the perfect solution…. signup for one of our CLUB MUTT programs and give yourself a fighting chance of having that bottle of Mutt Lynch wine on hand! Celebrating dog breeds small and large, we have created three different CLUB MUTT levels tailored to your needs. CLUB MUTT BIG DOG & CLUB MUTT LITTLE DOG  Both programs enjoy similar benefits: Wine shipments 2x per year, in Spring and Fall An opportunity to taste our new releases over the course of the year Special discounts on all of our wine tailored to your CLUB MUTT level A special dog product enclosed in each and every shipment Exclusive CLUB MUTT offers and events No membership fee to join The only difference between the two CLUB MUTT programs is how much of our doggone good wine you receive each shipment; and your level of discount. CLUB MUTT BEST IN SHOW - Traditional Wine Club Wine shipments 4x per year Special discounts tailored to your CLUB MUTT level

What an ideal way to treat the wine/dog-lover in your life! With the gift of a year-long membership, you're sure to be remembered for your thoughtfulness. Just choose one of the 3 club options and be sure we have the correct shipping address for your gift recipient. An introductory letter welcoming them to the club will be sent and they will immediately start receiving all the perks of club membership--discounts, invites to special events and of course, our 2x per year club shipments, 4x for Best in Show. A gift membership is perfect for the holidays, birthdays or any special occasion. Sign up today and start receiving your Mutt Lynch CLUB MUTT shipments! CLUB MUTT - BIG DOG Known for its giant size and gentle demeanor, the Great Dane is the inspiration for our CLUB MUTT - BIG DOG, which delivers 11 bottles of our Dog Series and Mans Best Friend wines and a special dog product twice a year. With your membership, you will receive 25% off our normal pricing for all CLUB MUTT shipments and any other purchases (3 bottle minimum purchase required.)

If you are purchasing a club membership as a gift, please note "GIFT MEMBERSHIP" in our Club Notes section of this form. Also be sure the recipient's name and address is reflected in the shipping instructions. CLUB MUTT - LITTLE DOG Honoring the smallest of all dog breeds, the pesky Chihuahua, our CLUB MUTT - LITTLE DOG will deliver 5 bottles of our Dog Series and Mans Best Friend wines and a special dog product twice a year. With your membership, you will receive 20% off our normal pricing for all CLUB MUTT shipments and any other purchases (3 bottle minimum purchase required.) CLUB MUTT - BEST IN SHOW A traditional wine club, 4 times a year delivering 3 bottles of our Dog Series or Mans Best Friend wines. With your membership, you will receive 15% off our normal pricing for all CLUB MUTT shipments and any other purchases (3 bottle minimum purchase required.) Mother's Day 3 Pack Just $35.98/25% Savings 2014 mbf Zinfandel Shipping included on purchase of 12 or more!

May 13-14 Mother's Day Complimentary Tasting & "Thyme" giveaway! 15% DISCOUNT 12+ BOTTLES *Not valid on already discounted wines, gift sets or custom label wine Mutt Lynch is located at 9050 Windsor Road, Windsor CA-- Stop in for a tasting -- No appointment needed! Bay Woof Magazine Names Mutt Lynch 2016 Beast of The Bay Winner - Dog Friendliest Winery Multiple wins never get old especially when voted on by readers. Wine Buzz Magazine Names Mutt Lynch One of the Most Pet-Friendly Pours 2015 Orange County Fair--Gold, Silver, Bronze! 2012 mbf Petite Sirah, Perotti Vineyard-Gold, 2012 mbf Chardonnay-Silver, 2012 mbf Primitivo, Speedy Creek Vineyard-Silver,2012 mbf Zinfandel, Perotti Vineyard-Silver, 2012 mbf Charbono, Frediani Vineyard-Bronze. 2014 Sonoma County Harvest Fair--Double Gold, Silver, Bronze! Our 2011 mbf Petite Sirah, Perotti Vineyard was awarded a Double Gold. Over 1,000 wines entered this year and we're thrilled! Our 2012 mbf Primitivo, Speedy Creek Vineyard was awarded a Silver Medal and our newest release--2012 HellHound Red was awarded a Bronze Medal.