Is there a reason for using the wine openers you use?
(Is asking this question similar to asking why we don't drink from stemless glasses?)
The Rabbit retails for $28.58 on Amazon and has 85% five-star ratings!
Wine snobs, please enlighten me...
VS.
There may be some value in the anticipation that builds when using a traditional bottle opener. As we discussed in class, high end consumers are willing to pay for the value they receive from the romance and experience of consuming premium wine.
ReplyDeleteIf consumers simply wanted to open wine as fast as possible everyone would just use champagne sabers:
http://digital.hammacher.com/Items/86790/86790_1000x1000.jpg
I have been having the exact same thoughts Win! Particularly when you have to open multiple bottles (and you are valuing efficiency rather than 'romance') wine openers like the Rabbit can't be beat.
ReplyDeleteMy personal favourite wine opener is the Butler's Friend. Particularly great if you need to reinsert the cork, or if you have an older bottle and you're concerned about damaging the cork.
http://www.lecreuset.com/butlers-friend-black-nickel
I have used the La Creuset wine lever system at home for several years. It looks quite similar to the Rabbit but is pricier at $100. It works well but is not terribly durable; I cracked one some time back and had to fork out another $100 bucks to replace it. I have wondered why restaurants don't use them; perhaps it is a matter of the expense involved. However, I have been in too many restaurants where the server has no idea how to open a bottle of wine, struggles to use a waiter's friend and winds up breaking the cork. I guess this is similar to other traditions in wine drinking where the "wine experience" factor trumps technology.
ReplyDeleteWell, the traditional wine opener DOES fit in a purse, which is an advantage. Though, from personal experience, TSA will take a wine key from you if you try to take it through airport security...tragic.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why I love you Natalie Butler. XO!
DeleteWin, I think you have the most-read post, haha :)
ReplyDeleteI offered Jeff my Rabbit opener and he politely refused. It may be worth getting clarification from a our tenacious TA, but I've resigned myself to the fact that there may be nothing quite like the sound of opening a wine bottle by corkscrew. Plus, it's pretty reliable across wine types and vintages. But maybe we can give Jeff a break sometime in the future and just have wines from New Zealand! (where nearly all the wines have screw tops - I can write a post on this next week)
Having worked in restaurant I can say the rabbit definitely helps to open wines faster, but when we opened wines at the table (which we frequently did) we used the traditional ones. So I can relate to both sides of the argument - efficiency vs. experience/tradition.
ReplyDelete