"HEY! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WINE OPENER???" A common question with a quick answer:

There are so many options when it comes to opening a wine bottle: shoe, brick wall, drill--you know, the usual. All of the corkscrew options have the same point---open the bottle, of course, but they aren't all created equal. We, in the industry, refer to corkscrews as wine keys and I am going to cut to the chase here....my favorite option is the most in-expensive and the most popular among wine industry experts. It isn't that sexy and it doesn't do all of the work for you, but it makes the job pretty easy and it is very packable (in checked luggage).

The double hinged wine key, also called the two-step, is what I use and what I gift to friends when i'm invited for a glass of wine. It works as follows: take tip of corkscrew and put it in middle of cork, then twist 5-6 times to get that corkscrew way into the cork. Then push down on the lever to raise the cork halfway up, then push second lever (on second hinge) to finish removing the cork. Sounds difficult, but completely easy. I recommend buying at least 3 because they are easily misplaced when you opened that last bottle of wine at 2am.

Pulltaps Double-Hinged Wine Opener: 6.99 (reg 8.99)

Other, more expensive options, take all of the work out of if for you. You may have heard of the Rabbit. You simply put the rabbit over the top of the bottle then using the lever plunge the corkscrew portion into the cork then pull the lever back up in one swift movement. It is a foolproof method with one exception. Sometimes corks are made out synthetic material and the corkscrew may bend upon a good plunging. It can get much pricier to keep replacing that bent corkscrew.

Two choices of rabbit below...the one on the left is the traditional version and comes in around 60.00. The newer 'vertical' Rabbit comes in at 35.00

Happy shopping....make sure to stock up in case you can't find it because someone 'stole' it (you lost it).

THE WINE ASSOCIATE

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