Port tongs - Vertical

Often very old vintage port wines have very soft and highly delicate corks that are very fragile. Therefore it can be quite a challenge to open a bottle without the cork crumbling into the wine.

For addressing this problem, the port tongs were developed and designed.

Initially the tongs must be heated strongly. This can be done in an open fireplace or over a gas burner.

When the head is red hot and ready to use, you squeeze the neck of of the bottle above the shoulders just below the cork.
Immediately afterwards, you take a cold wet cloth and hold it around the heateded spot on the neck of the bottle.

The neck with the cork now breaks in one clean cut with a distinct cracking sound.

A spectacular sight and that is also functional.

The idea and the concept is designed for opening port bottles, but of course it can be used for all kinds of still wines.