How does the L'Atelier Du Vin wine opener work?

[mdrayer]

I purchased a wine opener as a gift for a friend. It has a pin seems that it should be pushed into the cork. Then there is a handle that seems to pump air. Neither my friend, nor I, can get this contraption to work. Any advice?

[Sequin]

I have seen similar ones - the hollow needle is pushed through the cork - it has to come out the other side into the air space, and you press the plunger several times to increase the pressure in the bottle, which forces the cork out

[tony1941]

Yes, you need to push the needle right through. You also need to work quite hard at it when pumping, it's a bit like pumping up a bike tyre, but only takes a few seconds. Be careful, though, to only use it with normal looking round bottles, and nothing fizzy inside. I've seen the result of a bottle of Mateus Ros� opened in this way - the bottom fell off. (nasty shock of it's chilled and you are sitting down!!!)

[Pinotage]

As others have said, the idea is you pump in enough air to the bottle through thecork that the pressure forces the cork up.

This method is a particularly nasty way of opening wine as you are gambling there are no defects in the glass and that the cork wll give way first. Some corks form very good seals that are difficult to remove with traditional corkscrews, such corks resist the pump. I gave up as I didn't want the bottle to explode in my face, and I have not used the useless thing for years and will never do so again..

Do not use it on any 'odd shaped' bottles -- you must ensure that air pressure is going to push against the cork, not the sides of the bottle.

[Gef]

I use a "Waiter's Friend" with a double lever. Never fails.

Have a look here:

http://www.winebuythecase.com/acatalog/Corkscrews.html