Date

[cricket]

My girlfriend is coming over and I need to buy a ggod red wine does any one have any suggestions?

[Randy Caparoso]

Good god, cricket, this is way too broad. Get thee down to a friendly wine merchant (yellow pages!) and give him/her your parameters -- budget, dish, white/red, etc. Remember, simpler "good" wines are priced between $6 and $10. Better, premium level wines are $10 to $15. You can get something really impressive if your budget starts at $16. At least $25 will put you into some of the "elite" bottlings of certain varietals (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc.).

How important is this woman? Ya gotta make that judgement! Final caveat: don't forget a corkscrew (and if you haven't mastered the usage, practice!). Then again, if she's wonderful and still loves you even if you're a cork dork, then she's worth a lot!

[newtowine]

how do we avoid being a cork dork?

what's the best way to uncork?
when screwing in the corkscrew, is it best to keep bottle on the table? or hold it by the neck? or hold it under the arm?
what about when pulling the cork?

adv-thanks-ance...

[Thomas]

If you haven't the confidence or experience always best to rest the bottle on a table. Provided you use a corkscrew and not the cork puller (which I do not like, but that is another story) you simply plant the bottle on the table, hold the neck with one hand, insert the corkscrew at the center of the cork with the other hand (after you have removed the capsule) turn, clockwise, until you reach the last screw and then you have a few ways to pull up the cork, each depends on the type of corkscrew.

If you use a so-called waiter's corkscrew (my favorite) you rest the movable bottle opener end on the lip of the bottle, hold it down with the hand that holds the bottle neck, and slowly but steadily pull up on the handle of the corkscrew.

If you use one of those twist things with a wing that rises as you turn, you then pull down on the wing and the cork is supposed to rise up.

If you use the handy pocket cork screw--don't.

[Jerry D Mead]

Most important thing..make sure the corkscrew you purchase has a screw (worm) and not an auger. A lot of thos wingtip types don't have a screw, they have an auger (like a drill bit)that cuts into the cork instead of worming into it...and very often just pulls right through the cork instead of pulling it out. This type is also famous for drilling bits of cork into the wine even when it successfully extracts the cork.