Waiter's Friend
The seahorse knife is a type of wine corkscrew, which is light, portable and easy to use, and is the most common in restaurants. Because the waiters usually carry them with them, they are also known as "Waiter's Friend" (Waiter's Friend). The common seahorse knife is mainly composed of three parts: a serrated knife, an auger and a wine bottle opener as a fulcrum. When using a seahorse knife to open wine, first use a serrated knife to cut the cap off, then screw a screwdriver into the cork, and then pull out the cork with the help of the lever next to the bottle mouth.
Tips: The seahorse knife originated in 1882, when a German inventor Carl F.A. Wienke invented a tool called "Bartender's Assistant" (Butler's friend). Because of its small size and easy to put in a pocket, and much like an ordinary folding knife, it is often called "wine knife" by sommeliers, which is now known as the seahorse knife.
2
Disk Pourer
Wine pourer, also called wine pouring tablet or wine guide. In the process of pouring red wine, the function of the wine pourer is to drain the wine, which can control the flow rate of the wine poured out. Some wine pourers have drip rings to prevent the red wine from leaking and dripping. At the same time, the wine pourer can play some role in instant sobering up. Wine is precious. With a wine pourer, you no longer have to worry about wasting a drop of wine~, so the wine pourer is also called the gospel of the "handicapped party".
Tips: The red wine pourer is especially suitable for friends who rarely pour wine. Even if you have never poured wine, you cannot master the pouring skills. As long as you use a red wine pourer, your pouring posture can be very elegant~
3
Decanter
The decanter is a must-have appliance for all wine lovers. It is also called a decanter. It is a vessel used when drinking newly fermented red wine. The function of decanting is to let the wine come into contact with the air, which can make the wine volatilize itself. The taste, proper oxidative respiration, slowly release aroma and flavor, tannins become supple, to achieve the best drinking state. At the same time, the decanter can also effectively isolate the sediment in the wine, making the wine taste more comfortable and making the drinker's experience better.
Tips: It is best to choose a decanter with a big belly, a slender and narrow diameter, which is more conducive to retaining the aroma. Of course, if you don't have a decanter, you can also use a cup to decanter, but the speed of decanting is not as fast as using a decanter. Specifically how to use it, refer to this article we wrote last time: "Drinking? slow! Now is not the time! 》
4
Foil Cutter
When buying a wine gift box, you usually bring some practical gadgets for wine, and many people may be confused about one of the U-shaped small objects. That is the foil cutter we are going to introduce here, which is mainly used to cut the tin foil of the wine bottle mouth. If you don't have a paper cutter in your bottle opener, or if you're not very skilled at using a paper cutter, then a foil cutter is a must-have for you. In fact, the working principle of the foil cutter is similar to that of scissors. You can quickly and safely cut off the tin foil on the bottle mouth by sticking it on the bottle mouth and using the blades on both sides to press towards the middle.
5
Wine Bottle Drip Ring
The editor who loves to drink is often worried because the wine always flows down the mouth of the bottle when pouring wine, or there are always a few drops of wine dripping out of the glass at the end. Later, I found a magical little thing - a drip ring, some people also call it a "wine ring". Its function is similar to that of a wine pourer. Sponge, some are flannel wrapped polyester cotton. Before pouring the wine after opening the bottle, put the drip ring on the neck of the bottle. The sponge on the inside can absorb the wine drops left on the bottle mouth when pouring the wine, so as to prevent the wine dripping down the bottle and leaving the wine label or tablecloth dirty.
6
Tastevin
Some European and American sommeliers will hang a light silver plate with a pattern on their chest, called "Tastevin" in French, which means "tasting saucer", usually made of silver, but can also be made of gold, tin, stainless steel or ceramic to make. This tool is a tool used by sommeliers to identify the color and clarity of wine by candlelight in the age of no lights. Of course, with the advent of the electric light, the tasting plate has become less important, and more often it has become a decoration symbolizing the dignity of the traditional profession of sommelier.
Tips: The wine tasting plate can be roughly divided into two styles: Burgundy and Bordeaux. There are many irregular bumps in the Burgundy wine tasting plate, and the Bordeaux wine tasting plate is smooth inside. The tasting plates we see now are basically Burgundy style, and Bordeaux style is now rare, and if you are lucky, you can see it in some wine museums.
7
Decanting Spoon (Chef du vin)
The decanting spoon is the most magical decanting tool in my opinion. It is shaped like a distorted iron bar with a copper-yellow metal piece at the end. It is said that his magic lies in touching it with the wine for a second. The time of the clock is equivalent to the effect of one year of aging.
The biggest effect of this decanting spoon is that it can judge the aging potential of the wine. By rapidly oxidizing the wine, it can be judged whether the wine will develop a better flavor during the aging process. At the same time, its other function is to quickly sober the closed wine, soften the tannins, and let the wine show its due flavor.
