From the cellar to the table, the ritual of wine tasting is enhanced by foil cutters, aerators, decanters, glasses, vacuum pumps, stoppers and other fine oenological accessories. But among all these wine tools, for neophytes as well as connoisseurs, the corkscrew is king.
From its mysterious origins, when glass bottles and corks were adopted for the wine trade in the 17th century, the ancestor of the bottle opener has given rise to a wide variety of opening mechanisms and original shapes. Some of these antique models can still be found today and are particularly appreciated and sought after by connoisseurs and collectors.
Since 1926, L’Atelier du Vin, formerly Sanbri, has been creating wine tools with an unconditional passion. We also restore old bottle openers, in keeping with the tradition of oenology, which are a wonderful source of inspiration for making contemporary corkscrews. The beauty of the design serves to enhance the tool’s ergonomics, created first and foremost to initiate a wine tasting session.
Cultivating the Art of Making Timeless Wine Tools from 1926 to Today
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Among these many tools that are essential to the art of living wine, the corkscrew holds a special place in the hearts of oenophiles. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this curious everyday object became a popular icon in the West and, by the 21st century, had won over the rest of the world. But in reality, corkscrews have been around much longer…
A Geographical and Chronological Account of the Corkscrew in the West in the 17th and 18th Century by Marc Ouvrard
In his remarkable book, Le tire-bouchon aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles – Chrono-géographie d’une révolution en Occident, Marc Ouvrard recounts the incredible story of the bottle opener, from its invention around 1630, to the first official patent application in 1795 by Samuel Henshall. The author and president of the French Corkscrew Club (CFTB), a renowned organisation in the world of wine, embarks the reader on a fascinating journey in search of the first historical and geographical clues to the existence of this legendary wine tool. Travel journals, court songs, paintings, old dictionaries… As a fine connoisseur of the many different types of bottle openers, Marc Ouvrard takes the reader back through time, in search of the corkscrew’s origins. His work has become a must-have on our bookshelves.
From the Restoration of Old Corkscrews to the Creation of Contemporary Wine Tools
Winegrowers, merchants, collectors, sommeliers, oenologists, wine lovers all over the world… We are in constant contact with the men and women of the wine world, which enables us to uncover rare collector’s items. These once ordinary corkscrews have improved over time like great wines, revealing their extraordinary design. From original opening mechanisms to unusual materials, the ornamental finesse to the quality of finishing, each find is a treasure that we take great care of.
The Pleasure of Giving New Life to Vintage Corkscrews
With an ancient savoir-faire, L’Atelier du Vin restores old corkscrews to give them a new lease of life. From polishing and sanding, to repairing the opening mechanism and replacing the handle, our master craftsmen renovate each bottle opener with a deep sense of respect for the original model, without ever altering its original character.
An Endless Source of Inspiration to Create Contemporary Bottle Openers
L’Atelier du Vin draws inspiration from the best of old bottle openers, studying mechanisms that have proven themselves in terms of robustness and ergonomics, to create new models of timelessly elegant and ever-reliable corkscrews. Each year, we perfect and innovate the visual and technical aspects of our wine tool collection, until we reach the perfect balance between beauty and function. The beauty of a rare corkscrew is revealed by its simplicity of use, the smoothness with which the mechanism opens the bottle. This has been proven by several generations of bottle openers, enabling us to explore different ways of extracting a cork through the ages, up to the present day, with clever designs and efficient mechanisms.
Our Collectors’ Wine Boxes
In this collector’s paradise, old bottle openers sit alongside contemporary corkscrews, passing on their know-how like a parent to a child, or a grandparent telling their grandchildren a story. Our collectors’ boxes were designed by our master craftsmen, with our latest creations delicately nestled alongside antique bottle openers, that are fully restored and in working order. As such, each L’Atelier du Vin oenology box is unique, and different from one to the next. The owner’s initials or coat of arms can also be engraved upon request.
The Collectionneur 1 Sommelier’s Set
This set includes several of our finest corkscrews, displayed beneath a glass window on a felt surface: the chromed Bilame, chromed metal Garçon, Oeno Motion wood corkscrew, champagne cork opener and foil cutter. The solid walnut Le Collectionneur 1 set also showcases 3 antique corkscrews, dating back to the 19th of 20th centuries and restored to working order. Upon opening the lid, centuries of oenological history come to life, paving the way for an exceptional tasting session.
The Collectionneur 2 Sommelier’s Set
This high quality oenological treasure chest, made by our master craftsmen, is home to 1 antique bottle opener and its contemporary counterpart: our Oeno Motion Wood lever corkscrew, whose worm plunges into the cork to remove it in one swift movement.