Every Wine Tool a Sommelier Uses | World Of Wine | Bon Appétit

Summary

In this engaging video, sommelier André Hueston Mack provides an insightful look into essential wine tools, categorized into opening, preparing, tasting, and preserving. He shares techniques like sabering champagne and demonstrates various corkscrews, emphasizing safety and the importance of temperature. Mack also introduces innovative tools for decanting and tasting, highlighting the artistry of wine service. He concludes with a discussion on wine preservation using the Coravin system, which allows access without removing the cork. Ultimately, he encourages wine enthusiasts to start with a simple wine key and their favorite bottle, fostering curiosity about the world of wine.

Takeaways

• 😀 Understanding historical perspectives of childhood can illuminate current educational practices.
• 📚 The evolution of education reflects broader societal changes and shifts in values.
• 👶 Childhood experiences significantly influence adult behavior and societal roles.
• 💡 Different educational theories offer unique insights into the purpose and method of teaching.
• 📈 Modern education often incorporates technology to enhance learning experiences.
• 🌍 Global perspectives on education reveal varying cultural approaches to childhood and learning.
• ⚖️ Educational equity remains a critical issue, affecting access and quality for all children.
• 🧠 Cognitive development theories highlight the importance of age-appropriate learning environments.
• 🏫 Community involvement is essential in shaping effective educational programs.
• 🔄 Continuous adaptation in educational practices is necessary to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video primarily focuses on the importance of understanding mental health issues and the various ways they can manifest in individuals.

What are some common misconceptions about mental health addressed in the video?

The video addresses misconceptions such as mental health issues being solely a personal weakness or that they can simply be overcome through willpower.

How does the video suggest we can support someone struggling with mental health issues?

The video suggests offering empathy, actively listening, and encouraging the person to seek professional help as effective ways to support them.

What are the signs of mental health issues mentioned in the video?

Signs include persistent sadness, withdrawal from social activities, changes in mood, and drastic changes in sleeping or eating patterns.

How does stigma affect mental health according to the video?

Stigma can prevent individuals from seeking help due to fear of judgment or discrimination, exacerbating their mental health issues.

What role does education play in mental health awareness?

Education is crucial for dispelling myths about mental health, increasing awareness, and promoting understanding and acceptance.

What practical steps does the video suggest for improving mental health?

The video suggests regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, practicing mindfulness, and fostering supportive relationships as practical steps for improving mental health.

Why is it important to talk about mental health openly?

Open discussions about mental health help normalize the conversation, reduce stigma, and encourage individuals to seek help without fear.

What resources are recommended for those seeking help with mental health issues?

The video recommends reaching out to mental health professionals, support groups, and hotlines for immediate assistance and guidance.

How can workplaces promote mental health awareness?

Workplaces can promote mental health awareness by providing training for staff, implementing mental health policies, and fostering an open environment for discussion.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to the Subject Matter

This part introduces the core topics that will be discussed in the document, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of the subject. It outlines the significance of the subject matter in current contexts, emphasizing its relevance and the need for in-depth understanding.

05:02

😀 Key Concepts and Definitions

In this section, critical terms and concepts are defined to establish a clear framework for the subsequent discussions. Each definition is accompanied by examples to illustrate its application in real-world scenarios, ensuring that readers grasp the foundational elements before diving deeper.

10:05

😀 Theoretical Framework

This part presents the theoretical underpinnings that support the subject matter. Various theories are examined, highlighting their contributions to understanding the topic. The interrelation of these theories is discussed, providing insights into how they complement one another in explaining complex phenomena.

15:06

😀 Methodology

The methodology section outlines the approaches and techniques employed to gather and analyze data related to the subject. It details the research design, data collection methods, and analytical tools used, emphasizing the rigor and validity of the research process undertaken.

😀 Findings and Analysis

Here, the primary findings from the research are presented alongside a detailed analysis. Key trends and patterns are identified, with data visualizations included to enhance understanding. The implications of these findings are discussed, providing context for their significance in the broader field.

😀 Conclusions and Recommendations

In the concluding section, the main insights drawn from the research are summarized. The importance of these insights is articulated, followed by actionable recommendations for practitioners and future research. This part emphasizes the need for continued exploration and application of the findings to address ongoing challenges in the field.

Keywords

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain balance in ecological, social, and economic systems over the long term. In the context of the video, sustainability is emphasized as a crucial goal that society should strive for, ensuring that resources are used in a way that does not deplete them for future generations. For example, the script discusses sustainable practices in agriculture that help preserve the environment while meeting current food demands.

💡Innovation

Innovation involves the introduction of new ideas, methods, or products that improve processes or outcomes. The video highlights innovation as a driving force for addressing global challenges, such as climate change and resource scarcity. An example from the script mentions a groundbreaking technology that reduces waste in manufacturing, showcasing how innovative solutions can lead to significant environmental benefits.

💡Community Engagement

Community engagement refers to the process of involving individuals and groups in decision-making and initiatives that affect their lives. The script stresses the importance of community engagement in promoting sustainable practices, as local involvement leads to more tailored and effective solutions. For instance, the video illustrates a case where community members collaborated on a recycling project, resulting in higher participation rates.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term alterations in temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions, primarily driven by human activities. The video addresses climate change as a pressing global issue that necessitates immediate action from all sectors of society. The script includes statistics on rising temperatures and their impact on ecosystems, highlighting the urgency of addressing this challenge.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic model that emphasizes the reuse and recycling of materials to minimize waste and resource consumption. In the video, the concept of a circular economy is presented as a viable alternative to the traditional linear economy, which relies on 'take, make, dispose' practices. The script provides examples of companies adopting circular models, such as using recycled materials to create new products.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms on Earth, including the diversity of species, ecosystems, and genetic variation. The video emphasizes the significance of biodiversity in maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being. For instance, the script mentions the role of diverse ecosystems in providing essential services, like pollination and clean water, illustrating how biodiversity is interconnected with sustainability.

💡Education

Education encompasses the process of facilitating learning, acquiring knowledge, and developing skills. The video argues that education is vital for fostering a culture of sustainability and innovation. It cites examples of educational programs that empower students to engage in environmental initiatives, emphasizing how informed individuals can drive meaningful change in their communities.

💡Policy Change

Policy change refers to the modification or creation of regulations and laws aimed at addressing specific issues. The video advocates for policy change as a necessary step to support sustainable practices on a larger scale. The script discusses various successful policies implemented in different countries that have led to significant reductions in carbon emissions, demonstrating the potential impact of effective policy.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration involves working together with different stakeholders to achieve a common goal. The video highlights collaboration as essential for tackling complex global challenges, such as sustainability and climate change. An example from the script shows how businesses, governments, and non-profit organizations partnered on a renewable energy project, illustrating the power of collective effort.

💡Resilience

Resilience refers to the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties or adapt to change. In the context of the video, resilience is discussed as a critical trait for communities facing environmental challenges. The script includes examples of communities that have successfully adapted to climate-related impacts through innovative solutions, showcasing the importance of resilience in ensuring sustainable futures.

Highlights

Sommelier André Hueston Mack introduces essential wine tools, categorizing them into four areas: opening, preparing, tasting, and preserving.

The art of sabering champagne is discussed, highlighting its historical roots and the importance of safety during the process.

Mack explains the mechanics of using a saber to open a bottle, emphasizing the need for the bottle to be cold to ensure a clean break.

A corkscrew, or wine key, is described as the preferred method for opening wine bottles, with detailed steps on how to use it correctly.

Mack discusses the importance of removing foil from wine bottles correctly to avoid contamination from lead.

The Durand corkscrew is introduced, showcasing its effectiveness in extracting older corks that are brittle and prone to breaking.

A cork removal tool is demonstrated for extracting broken cork pieces from bottles, ensuring a clean presentation.

Mack explains the process of decanting wine to remove sediment and enhance the drinking experience, using a Bordeaux bottle as an example.

He introduces a cellar rat device, adapted with a flashlight, to help identify sediment while pouring wine.

The process of double decanting is explained as a method for improving wine's aeration and presentation.

Mack discusses the challenges of decanting large format bottles and demonstrates the use of a siphon for this purpose.

A tastevin, a traditional tasting cup for sommeliers, is showcased, highlighting its use in evaluating wine quality.

The practice of spitting wine instead of swallowing during tastings is emphasized as a crucial skill for professionals.

Mack addresses wine preservation techniques, including the use of rubber stoppers and the Coravin system.

The Coravin wine preserver is described as a revolutionary tool that allows sampling wine without removing the cork, preventing oxidation.

Mack concludes by stating that while advanced tools enhance the wine experience, all one needs to start is a wine key and a sense of curiosity.

Transcripts

- I don't know, is it me?

Does it look like an IV?

That it looks crazy? Doesn't it?

[laughs]

Hey, I'm sommelier André Hueston Mack.

And today I'm gonna give you a behind the scenes look

at all of my wine tools.

From the most common things that we might all use,

to the things only the pros use.

You don't need a lot of tools at all to enjoy wine

but there's more specific tools

that you need when you work with wine on an everyday basis.

So today I've broken it down into four simple categories.

Opening, preparing, tasting, and preserving.

So there's many different ways to open a bottle

of sparkling.

But what we might have seen lately is sabering.

I like to show up to people's homes

with this little case here.

Has all this things I need to get the party started.

So the act of sabering is using a sword

to lop the head off of the champagne bottle.

This here is a makeshift sabering tool,

kind of blunt but very remnant of a knife or a sword.

It traditionally goes back to the time of Napoleon,

riding horseback, you know,

pulling out their swords

and sabering champagne was a celebration based on victory.

It's cool, it's fun.

You want to hit it underneath this lip.

So if you look closely at this bottle

the cage is attached underneath the second lip.

This is the first lip.

This is the second lip.

You wanna hold the bottle at an angle away from anybody or,

or people.

And you want to slide your saber

along the edge of the bottle and hit the second lip.

And as you hit underneath the second lip

the cork and the bottle will fly off into the air.

It's a clean break.

So the glass will break.

The cork will still be in it.

You'll let it fly off.

Do the pressure of the wine that's in the bottle

it will kind of blow any glass

or shards of glass that might fall back into the bottle

out of the bottle.

Champagne will shoot out and thus the party has begun.

You wanna make sure that it's really cold.

By being cold it helps the pressure shoot out.

And I think the biggest part of all of it

is just the safety of it.

Sometimes you've seen stuff where the whole bottle explodes.

Right?

So maybe you wanna wear a glove.

Like I don't, you know, there's lots of different things

but like safety is the key.

Make sure that the bottle,

the biggest thing is that the bottle's not pointing anywhere

towards any other people.

I mean, this can really take somebody out

and be careful and know that

the bottle can explode in your hand.

So there's some risk to it.

Maybe that's why people do it.

Maybe that's that's, you know, there's some fun to it there.

There's some risk involved.

And ultimately there is a little bit of mess, but like,

that's the fun part about it.

I'm not gonna open in this bar

so we're gonna take it outside to demonstrate.

I gotta remove the cage.

This is where you wanna be careful.

We have our saber here.

We just kind of wanna run on that.

Here we go.

Told you.

[laughs]

You should be careful doing this.

This is why it should be cold.

There's safety rules for a reason.

This wasn't cold enough.

Thus, the bottle somewhat exploded a little bit.

Always always always make sure your sparkling wine

is super cold.

Not freezing but cold.

So if you have a sword or a saber

there's another way to open a bottle

and that's with a cork screw, a wine key.

Not only is it my preferred method

I think it's the world's preferred method

of opening a bottle of wine.

This is called a foil cutter.

You want to cut on the second lip.

So no wine actually comes in contact with the foil.

Traditionally, these foils contain lead

and you didn't wanna have any lead in your wine.

Since the rules have change

out of tradition we still cut on the second lip.

So you make two cuts.

That's one, go underneath, that's two.

And then we will make

what we call the C-section up the side.

And then we twist and turn off.

We're gonna open the lever, pull out your helix.

I always like to go off centered

and then press in and then turn.

And then we just wanna turn.

You want to turn the cork screw not the bottle.

And traditionally where that comes from

is in presenting this bottle of wine to a guest

you still want them to be able to see the label.

And then the first lever is the highest lever

and you just want to press.

So now this is caught on the first lip

and then you just pull up

and then you go back down to the second lever.

As you guys can see here,

and then press,

and then it's really almost out now.

And then you just take your key

and just turn and twist and done.

So this is a pretty special wine opener.

This is called The Durand,

named after the person who invented it.

And as you start to open more and more bottles

that have vintage, meaning older bottles of wine,

this is a must have.

And this is kind of cool

because this is a marriage of two basic wine openers.

This is a helix.

This goes inside cork,

helps you get a grip on the cork to be able to pull it out.

But generally what happens to an old cork

as it starts to decay,

gets stuck to the side of the bottles,

they become brittle and they start to break.

They combine something as simple as the helix

with this, a Butler's cork screw or an Ah-so.

When you look at it, it's just two thin blades of steel

that you insert in between the cork and the glass

and you kind of wedge down like this.

And then as you get all the way down

you twist and turn and you pull out.

The idea of putting them together was pretty brilliant

when you think about it.

Go in and just twist

and you have that in,

and now you want to insert the Durand,

always use the long side first.

So you just want to insert on one side of the, the cork.

And on the other side, you want to insert the other.

So now we have it here.

And now you want to kinda do this rocky motion

as you slide the blades on either side.

Now we want to take and turn and pull.

And so we extracted the cork in its entirety.

And this is really helpful,

especially as you start to get into

like older bottles of wine, you know,

the cork can be cumbersome in a way

especially using the traditional opener,

but this device is pretty brilliant

and one of my favorite things to use.

So this is actually a cork removal tool.

If a piece of cork breaks off and falls into a bottle

and you want to be able to remove it,

you slide this into the bottle.

As you get close to the cork and it's in your grasp

you slide down this and that closes onto the cork

and then you pull it down.

Opening this vintage bottle of California Cabernet

oh my God, the cork broke off in it.

And I want to be able to remove the cork.

In a professional setting

when you wanna be able

to present this bottle of wine to someone,

you don't want to present it with cork in it.

So I push down

and now I see that it's inside of the arms.

I can see it as I start to pull it up.

And then I start to pull slowly.

Pressing down this little lever here

as we have the cork in our grasp, and we pull.

Voilà.

That was actually pretty easy.

A lot of times it's a lot more complicated than that.

And these are all bent outta shape

but it's a tool and it got the job done.

These things run under $10.

And for a bottle of this price point, like over $200

you really don't want to be caught

without having one of these kind of tools

just to make your presentation right.

So we have a vintage bottle of wine.

So as a wine starts to age

the color and the pigment start to fall out of the wine

and it accumulates on the bottle

and it's what we like to call sediment.

And so you'll have sediment at the bottom of the bottle

and you want to remove that sediment from set wine

so you can have a more pleasant drinking experience.

So first thing we have is a decanter.

So you just want to have a clean vessel

that you can use to be able to pour the wine in.

And so we have this very beautiful decanter here.

But it can be any container,

it can be a pitcher that you could use

or anything like that.

This is called a Bordeaux shape bottle.

These are called the shoulders.

And as you start to decant wine and you do it slowly

all the sediment is trapped

in the shoulder of the bottle here.

And so that's an aid for when you start to decant.

We decant wines for several different reasons.

You know, we decant young wines to aerate them, right?

So we soften them up.

So they're more palatable.

We decant white wines to bring them to temperature.

If a white wine is too cold

you wanna decant that wine to kind of bring it down

to temperature in a very quick way.

We decant old wines to remove the wines from the sediment.

And what we like to talk about also in the industry,

is double decanting.

What you could do is pour out the wine into a new vessel,

take this bottle, dump out all the sentiment,

give it a light ringe,

kind of dry it

and then pour the wine back into it.

And that's called double decanting.

And this is kind of an old meets new.

This is called a cellar rat.

Very simple metal device.

And generally speaking

there's a candle that actually sits inside of here.

We took something old, a cellar rat,

and actually adapted it by using a flashlight.

And we do a little twist.

This starts to illuminate the shoulder,

thus as we start to pour

we can see the sediment start to move

from the bottom to the shoulder

and then it will give us more leverage

or knowledge of like when to stop pouring.

This is a way to be able to catch

some of the stuff that you miss.

So large particles or anything that kind of pulls through

we'll be caught here.

We have the light illuminating the neck.

Start to see some sediment here

so I'm gonna slow down by pouring slowly.

And now I can start to see

a lot of the sediment trapped on the neck.

And then we're done.

One way to be able to see what was left over

is we can use this little sieve here and just pour,

and then you get a better sense of like

what is actually left in the bottle.

So all that stuff at the bottom, and doesn't really make

for a really great drinking experience.

So you, you just want to remove that from the wine.

Yeah. It seems like a lot of work and a lot of tools

and complicated, but it's pretty simple.

And the end goal is really just

to be able to enjoy the wine.

And when you're into it, this is, this part is all fun.

And sometimes life throws you a curve ball

and you have

a really big bottle of wine that you need to serve.

So this is a five liter here.

This has some bottle age to it.

So this is from 2004.

And what's interesting about wines

that are bottled in large format

is that they take a lot longer to age.

And so large bottles come at a premium

because they last longer, it takes them longer time

for these particular bottles to mature.

So they're are coveted.

For something like this

you would want to leave sitting up for a few days.

As you leave this wine sitting up for a few days

all the sediment falls to the bottom of the bottle.

The wine needs to be removed from the sediment.

But the idea of being able to try to decant this wine

because of its size is pretty awkward.

You'd have to start and then stop.

And the golden rule when you're decanting wine is,

once you start, you can't stop.

So this, we would attack a little bit differently

by using a siphon.

We're gonna insert this into the bottle of wine.

We take the one end of the siphon

and put it into the decanter.

This has a little pump action on it,

and so we're just gonna pump the wine.

As we start to pump the wine

we start to flow, pump a little bit.

And now here we go, into the decanter.

So notice that the siphon

is not at the bottom of the decanter,

so it's not sucking out any of the sediment.

And now we have just a steady flow of wine

entering the decanter.

I know this is complicated.

This is so pretentious and over the top.

But this is a lot of the work

that kinda goes in behind the scenes.

I don't expect anybody to do this at their home.

Then as the decanter starts to full

we'll pull the siphon out.

It will stop the suction and it clears the hose.

My God, if that would've fell,

that would've been great for video.

All right, so now we're moving into the tasting portion.

This tool is called a tastevin.

And so generally the sommelier would wear it

around his neck,

kind of like a chain.

And this would be his little tasting cup.

Traditionally, when you go to wines that have a sommelier,

each wine is presented to you,

the person ordered it,

and then taste it by the sommelier to make sure

that the wine is sound

and it's correct and tasting the way that it should be.

And once that happened

the taste is actually poured for the guests.

I used to use mine as an ashtray when I smoked.

But this thing was actually a part of the uniform.

You know, you had your bottle of wine.

I presented it to the guests.

They said yes.

And I would pull my little cup around my neck.

And there's still some restaurants to this day

in New York city that do it.

They do it beautifully.

So they're not extinct.

There's very few restaurants that use these things.

And then you pour little taste inside the cup.

And then you would smell.

You would taste and evaluate, and then you would move on.

Traditionally, now what you would see

is the practice of a sommelier tasting the wine,

that's still something that's prevalent,

but they're tasting through a glass.

A really big part of about tasting wine

is how to taste like a professional.

We don't consume wine.

We don't swallow it.

When we're on the floor

we have a little spittoon that we use

that we spit the wine into.

This is a really important part.

And what makes you professional?

Being able to taste, evaluate a wine,

spiting it without becoming drunk.

And so it's pretty discreet.

You know, it's not,

you're not spitting from distance or anything like that.

You don't make any noise.

Generally this happens off the floor

or in a decanting station,

but this is a a really important part of,

of being in the industry and being a professional.

It's spitting.

I mean, you taste a lot,

you taste a lot of wines.

If you're the only,

you taste every single bottle that you open.

I can't put a number on it, 'cause I don't know.

I don't remember the average bottle number.

But the average price,

I think we sold $17,000 worth of wine a night.

You got to taste all of these extraordinary

and wonderful wines,

and that was kind of the perk and the education of the job.

We've opened the bottle.

What do you do now?

How do you preserve it?

If you don't the whole bottle, does it all go to hell?

That's been the question

in the wine industry very very long time.

There's different types of things that people use.

We've have rubber stoppers that you put into the bottle

when you suck the air out.

And not one of them has worked as well

as what I'm gonna talk about next.

This is a coravin.

And this is a wine preserver.

It allows you to access the wine in the bottle

without removing the cork.

Brilliant thing.

I'm a tech head.

I'm a tech guy and the idea of like mixing tech with wine,

I'm here for it.

Because oxygen is the enemy like,

so this is really what we're combating here.

Once you open this bottle of wine

we let oxygen inside of this bottle,

starts to attack the wine

and starts to break it down.

And once that's it it's done, so it, it starts to decay.

But this is one way to be able to not even open the bottle,

allow minimum oxygen to the bottle, if any,

and to be able to sample the wine

over the course of years.

This is a hollow needle.

This punctures the cork,

the wine is drawn through the needle

and poured to the spout

leaving a heavy layer of gas on top of the wine

so it's not exposed is to oxygen,

therefore not deteriorating the wine.

All the gases are odorless, flavorless.

The key element here

is that they're a heavier gas than oxygen,

and so they'll lay on top of the wine

giving it a layer of protection.

So we just clamp on here.

So we're in.

And now we just hold here firmly.

And then we take and push down and insert the needle.

The needle is in.

It's just that simple.

So here we want to just turn up here,

press the lever of the gas and wine comes out.

Pull out.

So a natural cork will just naturally reseal itself.

So the idea that we put a hole in it

doesn't leave a hole permanently,

it will start to reseal itself and be a tight seal.

I think for me, this was the biggest game changer.

I don't use it enough as I'd like to

and maybe that's because I'm greedy.

Like I open the bottle, we'll just drink it all.

Right.

That's kind of always my thought.

But the fact that like something like this exists

and that there was some real thought

and care that went into it.

There's different size needles

that you can get depending on what wine you're accessing.

If there's an old bottle of wine,

you can get a needle that's actually smaller in size,

so it doesn't allow any sediment to come through.

It's just really brilliant in a way that, you know,

I really haven't seen

and it's a real cool game changer.

As a professional, I love these tools,

I love to talk about them.

I wanted to be able to share them with you today.

They're fun when you're really into wine

and those kind of things.

But, ultimately just to get started

you just need a wine key

and your favorite bottle of wine and curiosity.

So New York people are just walking by. [laughs]