A Farmer’s Tool

What once started as a simple farmer’s knife is now one of the most sought-after urban tools—and status symbol—to ever come out of France. The name Laguiole (pronounced, lah-yole), comes from a village in the middle of the Aveyron region of France, where the original knives were first made in 1829 by Jean-Pierre Calmels. It was a popular knife for farmers since it was adapted to their particular needs. Originally used to cut bread and wood, later, a poinçon or piercer was added that they could use to make holes in harnesses or to pierce the stomach of bloated animals suffering from colic. [I know, TMI, but hey, I'm not making this stuff up.] As needs changed, so did the knife. In 1880, as poor farmers emigrated to nearby Paris to open restaurants and bars, a corkscrew was added to the knife.

Signature Bee

Many legends exist regarding the insect forged on the spring. Many believe it is a fly or horsefly that was commonly seen in the Aveyron region because of the cattle bred in the region. In fact, the catch on a Laguiole knife is often referred to as la mouche (the fly) in French. However, the locals prefer another, more glamorous story suggesting that the insect is a bee, an imperial symbol, bestowed by Napoleon himself to the town of Laguiole in thanks for the bravery of its soldiers. [Now that's a French story that IS made up.]

Popularity Brings Change

Over the years, as demand grew, production increased and the manufacture of the knives gradually moved 100 miles northwest to the town of Thiers. By 1981, these famous knives were all produced in Thiers. In 1988, the town of Laguiole built two forges to once again produce its namesake products, but most authentic Laguiole products are still produced in Thiers. While the design of the Laguiole knife is over 170 years old, the design of the coveted Laguiole corkscrews made today is actually only 20 years old. Today the Laguiole name and signature bee on the spring is on folding knives, corkscrews, table cutlery and even cigar cutters.

Cheap Knock-Offs

There is a lot of confusion about the Laguiole name and the signature bee. Laguiole is not a single company that produces these knives and corkscrews. Aside from being the name of the village in Aveyron and the name of a semi-hard cheese, Laguiole is really just a generic name of a folding knife. Because the name Laguiole and the bee on the spring were never trademarked, many inexpensive, low-quality knock-offs have flooded the market. Just because there’s a bee on the spring or bolster, doesn’t mean it’s made in France. Many of these low quality machine-made knives and corkscrews are made in China or Pakistan. And even in France, there are different levels of quality, from inexpensive mostly machine-made items to high-end, fully hand-made and engraved products, with a high price tag to match.

The Laguiole corkscrews and cutlery offered by IWA strike a nice balance between high-quality and affordability. Proudly made in Thiers, France by the craftsmen at the Jean Dubost Company, our Laguiole products are beautiful, functional and durable. Holding one in your hand is like like holding a piece of French history. Not only should you get one for yourself, they make excellent gifts for the wine aficionados in your life too.

Here’s an interesting video showing the process of hand-assembling a sommelier’s corkscrew.

Father’s Day is just around the corner. You did remember didn’t you?…DOH!  Well, you still have time to get him something—no, not another funky Jerry Garcia tie or bottle of Old Spice cologne. If dear old Dad is a wine lover, get him something he really wants. A gift from IWA shows Dad just how much you care and will be appreciated for years to come.

Here’s a few gift ideas just in time for Father’s Day:

Avanti 52-Bottle Built-In Mini Cellar – Give your Father the gift of Built-In Wine Storage! This is the built-in mini cellar he’s been hoping to get! It has stainless steel-trimmed glass doors, an LED readout for temperature setting and monitoring, slide out chrome racking for easy access and interior display lights to show off the collection.

SoWine Home Wine Bar by Transtherm – Give Dad the ultimate in wine preservation. The SoWine chills and preserves opened wine for up to ten days! The compact design will fit easily in the kitchen or Dad’s smoking lounge.

Vinturi Wine Aerator Gift Set – This Father’s Day, Dad deserves a great glass of wine…perfectly aerated by the Vinturi. The Vinturi Gift Set includes the popular Vinturi Wine Aerator beautifully packaged with the Vinturi Tower that holds the Vinturi for elegant wine service by the glass.

Ultima Stemware – Don’t let Dad drink wine in those tiny little wine glasses. Give him the strongest, clearest & most resilient glass crystal ever created! The Ultima Series is designed to enhance a wine’s flavor and bouquet. He’ll appreciate this gift every time he takes a sip.

Bronze Estate Opener – Now Dad can open a wine bottle quickly with modern technology and antique charm. Our Bronze Estate Opener works with both standard and flanged bottles and makes opening wine easy while looking great…the opener that is, but Dad will look pretty good too.

Laguiole Black Horn Steak Knives – Nothing goes better with wine than a great dinner. And a great dinner deserves the finest cutlery. Heirloom worthy, these knives are handcrafted in France of the finest quality, stainless steel for the blades. A set of six for when all the guys (and gals) get together for steaks.

So don’t delay. Order your Father’s Day gift today and surprise Dad with something he really wants.

Who was faster? Wyatt Earp or Ike Clanton? If you know history or watch westerns, you know the Gunfight at the OK Corral answered that question. So when I saw the Metrokane Vertical Rabbit corkscrew in action, I wondered, who would be faster, a seasoned professional with a standard waiter’s corkscrew or a novice with the Vertical Rabbit? We decided to have our own “Corkscrew Shootout” to find out.

We put Katie, our Marketing Manager—a seasoned pro who has opened plenty of bottles with a waiter’s corkscrew—up against Katie’s grandmother, Sue—who is an occasional wine drinker with the Vertical Rabbit—and they shot it out in this quick video.

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. (Can you believe it; it’s almost 2010.) And we all know that New Year’s Eve is synonymous with Champagne and sparkling wine. But do you know the proper way to open and serve sparkling wine? No worries, because I just produced this video to help you open and serve your sparkling wine like a pro by showing what to do and what NOT to do. (Don’t try this stunt at home, I’m a professional.)

I also suggest a couple of accessories from IWA, such as the SwiftTURN opener and Champagne Xpress, that can help you open the bottle and keep the leftovers…like there will be any. HA! By the way, if you need some bubbly, such as the 2001 Windsor Vineyards Brut, North Coast, Platinum Series shown in the video, it not too late to order some for New Years Eve from Windsor Vineyards.

Happy Holidays and a special thank-you to Bill and Cathy Fallis of Vine Tasting Wine Bar & Bistro in downtown Windsor, CA. for letting me use their beautiful wine bar for my video.

I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving! Where has the year gone? Well, it’s not too late to get your table and wine ready for the holidays. Let’s take a look at some ways to dress up your table and serve your wine in style.

Cylindrical Suberin Helical Extractors

Sorry, I geeked out for a sec. They’re better known as corkscrews, and they come in a variety of styles and prices, but here’s a few that are perfect for the holidays.

Bronze Estate Opener

This reproduction of an ingenious 19th century opener will accommodate both standard and flanged bottles. It clamps directly onto a table or can be displayed on a handsome table stand. With one swing of the handle, the cork is penetrated and removed. To re-cork, simply reverse the motion. Opening wine has never been so easy…and so elegant.

Vertical Rabbit

If you’ve never used one of Metrokane’s Rabbit corkscrews, you have to try it to understand just how easy it is to use. I have the original Rabbit corkscrew and think it’s great but the new Vertical Rabbit has given me corkscrew envy. Just like the original Rabbit, the Vertical Rabbit can extract a cork in 3 seconds and automatically ejects the cork. But this one is sleeker and beautiful to look at too.

Waiter’s Corkscrew – Rosewood Corkscrew with Pouch

Perhaps you’re a little more traditional and like the feel of wood and leather. This Rosewood Corkscrew with a Mulholland Brothers leather pouch is the one for you. Flawlessly crafted and beautifully finished, this waiter’s corkscrew will last a lifetime worth of wine.

Decanters

With all the new gadgets out there now to aerate wines, are decanters really necessary? Absolutely. Decanters will never go out of style and it’s still the best way to present your finest wines allowing them to breathe while showcasing the wine in an elegant way. And what better time to add a little elegance to a meal than when family and friends gather for Thanksgiving?

Eisch Dripless Silhouette Decanter

What make this decanter different from the rest? The surface of the glass on this decanter is specially treated keeping those pesky final drops of wine inside the decanter and off your dinner table. A perfect pour every time!

Ravenscroft Spiral Decanter

The unique spiral design of this lead-free decanter allows for better gripping while the 7″ wide base allows for maximum aeration of your wine. Perfect for not only the holidays but also for everyday use.

Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter

For the ultimate in elegance, the Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter can’t be surpassed for a combination of form with function. Created to commemorate both the 250th anniversary of Riedel Crystal, as well as the 250th birthday of Amadeus Mozart. Handmade, mouthblown 24% lead crystal crafted in Austria.

Stemware

You’ve had those wine glasses since college. You know the ones I’m talking about: dinky little bowls with a big thick rolled rim. They’ve served you well, but isn’t it about time you kicked it up a notch and invest in a nice set of wine glasses. If you’ve looked at your stemware lately and said to yourself, “We need to get some better wine glasses,” then don’t put it off any longer. Here are some wine stems in which you’ll be proud to serve wine to your family and friends.

The One by Andrea Robinson

Andrea Robinson’s The One Glass eliminates the guesswork and complexity from stemware selection, and rivals the finest European stemware for both grace and performance. No need to fill you cabinets with different glasses for each varietal; all you’ll need is The One for Red and The One for White. These glasses optimize the aroma and taste of any wine, old or young, steal or splurge. Go ahead and put them in your dishwasher The One glasses will continue to shine like a diamond!

Ultima Stemware

Ultima Stemware is the greatest innovation in glassware since the invention of the stem. They are brighter, stronger and more durable than other glasses on the market. Lead-free and machine-made these glasses are extremely resistant to chipping and breaking. They’re dishwasher safe and won’t dull or become clouded.

Riedel Sommelier Stemware

The Sommeliers Series is Riedel’s top of the line. Each varietal specific stem is individually mouth-blown and hand-finished to a level of perfection unparalleled by machine-made stemware. This 24% lead crystal glass is unsurpassed in its ability to enhance your fine wine experience. “The best wine glasses ever made.” Robert M. Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate