It’s one thing to cellar good wine for years—even decades. But then you have to open the bottle. And removing a cork that has—like all of us—been slowly losing the firm dimensions it once possessed is not always easy. That’s where Glasvin’s new Vintage Wine Opener comes in: a sleek, two-in-one tool that pairs an Ah-So (also called a Butler’s Friend) with a classic corkscrew. At $44, it’s priced like a nice bottle of Pinot but built to serve thousands of them.

A tool with two personalities

The Vintage Wine Opener splits into two sections: one half houses the twin prongs of the Ah-So, the other a standard worm corkscrew. For everyday bottles, the corkscrew does its reliable twist-and-lift routine. For older, fragile corks—the kind that crumble if you breathe on them—the Ah-So shines. Its thin prongs slide between cork and glass, gripping the outside rather than stabbing through the middle. Insert the long prong first, then the short one opposite, rock gently until seated, then twist and lift. No shredding, no sediment tsunami—just a clean extraction that makes you look like a pro, even if your last “vintage” was a 2019 supermarket Merlot. (It might take you a few tries to get the hang of it.)

Design-wise, the opener is handsome: the polished nickel finish and simple cork case make for nice presentation and a gift-ready feel. My one tweak? I’d magnetize the two sections so that when you pull the tool out of the case, the standard twist-and-pull corkscrew on the bottom doesn’t slip away. It would also incentivize you to click them back together when done.

Why the Butler’s Friend earns its nickname

The Ah-So’s alias—Butler’s Friend—is no accident. It’s the discreet, damage-control specialist for mature bottles, preserving brittle corks and minimizing disturbance to sediment. For collectors, hosts or anyone who’s ever had to fish cork bits out of their glass, this dual-function opener offers everyday convenience plus a specialized rescue tool in one elegant package. In short, it’s the kind of bar accessory that makes opening wine feel classy and effortless, even when the cork has other ideas.

A Colossal Achievement

If you want to put the standard corkscrew to work—and your budget, like mine, tends to steer clear of cellar-worthy bottles—here’s a drink-now-worthy new release at the LCBO, the Casa Santos Lima Colossal Reserva 2021 ($15.95) from Lisboa, Portugal. This is a dark, ripe and generously flavoured red blend, with black cherry, blackberry and plum notes, warm spice, a hint of toast and soft, polished tannins. At 14.2%, it has some welcome heft, yet enough freshness to keep its full-bodied personality from becoming a lumbering one. Listed at 8 g/L of sugar, it offers a plush, almost chocolatey appeal. A delectable new LCBO release and a genuine steal at $15.95—particularly with grilled sausages, burgers or a chilly-night pasta. 89/100