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Durand stories - 5/29/2023 4:10:50 PM

jcosindc

Posts: 154
Joined: 7/12/2021
From: Alabama
Status: offline

I learned about the Durand wine opener on another thread and bought oe. The Durand has saved many a bottle where I tried to open via corkscrew, Rabbit, etc, and the cork broke or was stuck, but this one time…well, here's my story:

I attempted to open a bottle with a corkscrew, but the cork just wouldn’t budge. I removed the corkscrew and pulled out my trusty Durand to save the day one more time. After inserting the corkscrew part, as I tried to wedge in the tongs part, the cork loosened so quickly that as I wiggled the tong part into the bottle sides, the cork slid right down into the bottle. Fortunately, the corkscrew part kept the cork from the wine and I was able to finagle the cork out of the bottle. Whew!!

Anyone else have a Durand story?

Btw, the wine was delish. Not sure what happened to cause the cork to stick like that.

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Cos

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RE: Durand stories - 5/29/2023 6:56:49 PM

mclancy10006

Posts: 4510
Joined: 3/19/2007
From: Cape Cod, MA & Bellevue, WA
Status: offline

1945 Taylor Fladgate vintage Port. The reason why port tongs were invented, but I didn't have any. Durand for the win. The cork was very wet and crumbly yet came out clean with the Durand.

Mark

(in reply to jcosindc)

Post #: 2

RE: Durand stories - 5/30/2023 12:36:52 PM

KPB

Posts: 4664
Joined: 11/25/2012
From: Ithaca, New York
Status: online

Sure: my Durand fell apart. There is a little rivet attaching the prongs to the handle, and it falls out. Gorilla glue did not help. But old fashioned epoxy saved the day! Whew… spent the $250 on a tasting sample of Petrus 2022 (ok, didn’t do that last part. Might if I could)

< Message edited by KPB -- 5/30/2023 12:37:25 PM >

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RE: Durand stories - 5/30/2023 1:21:57 PM

garetjax_kison

Posts: 153
Joined: 1/11/2010
From: Campbell, CA (via TriCities WA)
Status: offline

Good afternoon. I heard about the Durand just this past Saturday listening to a wine podcast (during a solo afternoon hike in a local preserve) and had no idea it existed. The podcast hosts seemed to be comically challenged putting it to use. I just Googled it and it looks like a useful addition to the wine key collection -- particularly with old bottles/corks of unknown status.

(in reply to jcosindc)

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RE: Durand stories - 5/30/2023 3:32:15 PM

wadcorp

Posts: 9336
Joined: 10/29/2008
From: Kansas City, MO
Status: offline

I used our Durand just this past February on Open That Bottle Night.

I'd made sure to pick up our Durand before going to the party. Someone had a bottle with a very questionable cork. I felt like a Boy Scout, being so well prepared. The Durand did its magic & saved the day.

A number of people at the party had never heard of the Durand.

.

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RE: Durand stories - 5/30/2023 9:46:50 PM

skifree

Posts: 3416
Joined: 3/14/2010
From: SE King County, Washington
Status: offline

Some years ago a collector donated his entire collection to Tacoma Community College, which used to host a wine event as their main fundraiser. This was back in 2015 or 2016 after we selected our financial advisor, who was on the board of directors of TCC and invited us to the event after she saw the value of my wine collection in our list of assets.

The only wine I bought at this event were 6 of the 1976 La Mission and 6 of the 1984 Dominus in the silent auction for $720 (!), which was the max bid. I decided to stay married instead of buying more

Wisdom comes with age.

The man who consulted on this auction bought a DRC La Tache at the live auction and opened it for his table, it was 70's but not sure of the year. He used a Durand to open it, which I had never seen before. He shared some, which was not memorable. The way he used the Durand was. I ordered mine the next day.

< Message edited by skifree -- 5/30/2023 9:50:32 PM >

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RE: Durand stories - 6/3/2023 4:17:15 PM

jcosindc

Posts: 154
Joined: 7/12/2021
From: Alabama
Status: offline

The cork broke on a 22 yr old Scotch. I don't know if it'll work, but I think I'll try the Durand to see if it will work with spirits as with wine.

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Cos

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RE: Durand stories - 6/3/2023 9:30:12 PM

ImUrHuckleberry

Posts: 679
Joined: 11/17/2018
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Of course it will work.

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RE: Durand stories - 6/5/2023 7:24:04 AM

annerk

Posts: 6122
Joined: 10/16/2008
From: Central Florida
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I pour at a charity wine tasting every year. THe bottles are all donated, almost all are 20+ years old from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, and Napa. It is not unusual to have an 80's Bordeaux in a Jeroboam. We use a Durand to remove the corks on almost every bottle, because it's better than the other options.

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RE: Durand stories - 6/5/2023 9:50:07 AM

musedir

Posts: 23502
Joined: 2/25/2010
From: At 2534ft in Asheville near Royal Pines
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I love my Durand, which was a present from Dr. M, and I use it all the time. No more crumbing corks. My thanks to Mindmuse for introducing me to this wine saver.

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RE: Durand stories - 6/5/2023 3:07:52 PM

recotte

Posts: 6876
Joined: 1/19/2011
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After years of using a "poor man's Durand," a combination of a waiter's screwpull and ah-so, for older corks, I asked for a real one from my mom for Christmas this past year. It has worked flawlessly on a number of bottles that would have been sketchy otherwise. Love it.

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RE: Durand stories - 6/6/2023 1:30:39 AM

jonboy74

Posts: 281
Joined: 7/16/2019
Status: offline

Annerk are you saying you can use a Durand on jeroboams? I would have thought the wider cork would preclude its usage

quote:

ORIGINAL: annerk

I pour at a charity wine tasting every year. THe bottles are all donated, almost all are 20+ years old from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, and Napa. It is not unusual to have an 80's Bordeaux in a Jeroboam. We use a Durand to remove the corks on almost every bottle, because it's better than the other options.

(in reply to annerk)

Post #: 12

RE: Durand stories - 6/8/2023 10:00:25 AM

annerk

Posts: 6122
Joined: 10/16/2008
From: Central Florida
Status: offline

I believe that one was used on those. I was pulling corks on other bottles about 15 feet away and didn't see them open it. I will ask and see if I can get an answer on that.

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Post #: 13