The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Weekly Newspaper

Uncorking Gott

...from the desk of the editor...

Reader Josef L'Africain sent this photo of a recent find:

He wrote: "It is marked for Gorham, but has an interesting red moon on the handle. Any idea about the meaning of the moon? I was thinking masons/shriners... What do you think?*"

Then he wrote in his blog: "...so the lovely returns from her trip to california, and we discussed the week's events. and, as we talked the conversation turned to the corkscrewy world that we inhabit. i showed her the latest sterling corkscrew--the aforementioned red moon piece. and, true to form, she said...'that's mine.' we just opened a joel gott sauv blanc with it, and it served the purpose well. "

I thought "hmmm 'opened a joel gott sauv blanc with it'? My wife and I just had a bottle of it a few nights ago. I dashed to our recycle bin and pulled out the empty bottle. Sure enough, the top looked like this:

I went to my cellar to fetch another bottle. Same thing. I chose a more substantial corkscrew, a Heeley A-1, and went to work:

Sure enough the worm could be turned in. Then all that needed to be done is grasp the corkscrew and the cap at the same time and turn counterclockwise.

The corkscrew served no purpose but, hey, maybe a guest won't notice the Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc has a twist off cap!

*The Red Crescent emblem was first used by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) volunteers during the armed conflict between Russia and Turkey (1876–1878). The symbol was officially adopted in 1929, and so far 25 Islamic states have recognized it." It is the Muslim version of the Red Cross. (Source: Wikipedia, the Internet encyclopedia).

Footnote: After Josef previewed this page, he wrote: "The Joel Gott we were drinking is a single vineyard Sauv. Blanc with cork ... But, it is good to know that you are perpetuating the life of your corkscrews by resorting to drinking screwtop wines (as we often do)."

So there you have it. Our Yankee friends way up North can afford the more expensive Gott Sauvignon Blanc and get to experience the pleasures of extracting corks with great corkscrews. Meanwhile we sit at The Weekly Screw and twist off the caps of our wine bottles. Sometimes we leave the bottles in brown paper bags!

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