The Dangers In Opening Corked Wine Bottles

RCCOLA

Imagine this, all because I was trying to drink a glass of wine.

As described in ads, TV, doctors, etc one glass a wine a day could keep you healthy, wise and keep the doctor away.

Now, my life has been turned upside down. Merely by trying to open a corked bottle of wine. Now I have traumatic injuries sustained by the myth that corked wine is of better quality, has better preservative, etc. The general pubic is under the assumption that wine is better quality and that is why wine companies sell the majority of corked wine. They sell more product and get more money.
Bottom line, more money and no consideration as to the safety of the general public.
By being a consumer, giving them my money, and pulling a cork that appears too large for the bottle and or a defective glass bottle, I am now going to be somewhat defective myself. When I was pulling the cork, the neck snapped off the bottle and forced my hand into the 3/8" jagged edge on the shoulder of the bottle and, in a split second, I am now disabled. The bottle sliced into the palm on my hand severed muscles, 2 tendons, and several nerves. What ever else is in the width of the palm.
Now with one disabled hand and a middle finger standing straight as I gesture the world daily, it is quite humiliating. Not to mentioned that my hand has very little strength and will only bend half way with the finger protruding outward. No guitar playing, piano, golfing or simple trying to get something out on you own pocket since the middle finger is the longest and is in the way of everything else. These are only a few things the hand has use for. On the computer, which I use for my job and my life, I am a one handed "pecker" instead of a two handed typist.

I am posting this information so the general public will be imformed about some of the dangers in opening corked bottles. These companies are not disclosing or posting warning of dangers. They are also not including information about tainted wine from corks after research. Corked wine has been an issue for sometime with no attempt to warn the public.

I personally have talked to many different people and almost every 99% have said the have experienced or seen individuals having problems opening corked wine. They have seen edges break and chip, corks breaking off or some people can not pull the cork out of the bottle so they drive the cork into the bottle. Some people try pulling the cork form holding the bottle under the arm or between their legs, if the bottle broke, it could slice the main artery and could possibility bleed to death. The wine companies need to get with the program, and cap the wine or box it and put warning labels and instructions on every bottle. Put the public's safety first instead of the profit in there pockets. Safety first, anyone else with injuries like mine can help me post this though out cyber space to help warn others

MrNuked

Buckfast: "One glass three times a day"

Don't drink buckfast.

In second year of college I lived witha guy who was missing most of a finger. I had presumed he'd lost it from cancer because I had known someone who lost fingers and had been told it was from cancer. Then he told me he cut it off with a jigsaw while he was drunk. I laughed.

If it was really was the fault of the bottlers that you got hurt, you should absolutely certainly and resolutely take legal action.
If you're just making this up then take legal action anyway.

chrismon

thanks for the tip
i will be more careful with my wine from now on :dunno:

Unpossible

were you using just a corkscrew and pulling the cork straight out? I can see why those fancy corkscews with the arms are a good idea now

Beruthiel

Originally posted by RCCOLA
The wine companies need to get with the program, and cap the wine or box it and put warning labels and instructions on every bottle. Put the public's safety first instead of the profit in there pockets. Safety first, anyone else with injuries like mine can help me post this though out cyber space to help warn others

philistine!
There is no such thing as a substitute for the cork!
a poor work man blames his tools
I have opened more bottles of wine than I care to mention, with the right attitude, the correct bottle opener and a gentle touch, any bottle can be opened successfully

signed
wine drinker specialist

Hobbes

Sounds snopish.

Morpheus

Jesus folks, the guy made a mistake, he's disabled for life and this is how you reply to his advice?

philistine!
There is no such thing as a substitute for the cork!
a poor work man blames his tools
I have opened more bottles of wine than I care to mention, with the right attitude, the correct bottle opener and a gentle touch, any bottle can be opened successfully

Stupid smart comments about how if somethings done right, blah blah blah, no sympathy whatsoever? Pious pr*ks. Hindsight is a great thing to have. I hope nothing like this ever happens anyone else. Just be glad it wasnt you, defective glass bottles are NOT impossible, remember that next time you pop the cork.

Man im sorry for you, I dont think i could cope if it happened me. The corkscrews with the arms are probably the safest, and the ones i shall continue to use.

Unpossible

a poor work man blames his tools

Just out of couriosity RCCOLA, how exactly were you trying to open it? for the neck to snap it sounds like you were pulling sideways or trying to lever the cork against the side of the bottle, If so then Im sorry for your loss but hopefully you learned your lesson: pull the cork directly up, or use the corkscew with those arms or some other mechanism.

Hobbes

Chill.

Cork in a bottle has nothing to do with the bottle breaking. Even the newer cork screws dont require any pressure on the bottle.

The story is also an urban legand or Bullsh!t, or he is posting the same story all over the place.

Beruthiel

Originally posted by Morphéus
Stupid smart comments about how if somethings done right, blah blah blah, no sympathy whatsoever? Pious pr*ks

deary me
did someone get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning?
it’s quite clear this thread was started in humour, maybe you should read it again?
subtle humour may not be your thing but there is no need to go off the deep end there :rolleyes:

Hobbes
I’m an apprentice snob, but I’m working hard on it

Sleepy

Strangely, I have yet to find a better corkscrew than the one on my penknife. Most of those ones with the arms have a shite grip and more often than not I end up corking the wine, the "waiter's mate" types are a bastard for chipping bottles but the straight-forward corkscrew on a penknife never gives me any problems. Well done Victorinox: keeping it simple and effective.

And I have to agree with Beruthiel: I've yet to taste a quality wine that's come from a screw-cap bottle!

seamus

Originally posted by Beruthiel
deary me
did someone get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning?
it’s quite clear this thread was started in humour, maybe you should read it again?

Clearly.

Dr. Loon

Originally posted by Sleepy
I've yet to taste a quality wine that's come from a screw-cap bottle!

I have tasted many a fine wine from screw cap bottles, and bottles with little lids you just pop off. There is absolutely no difference in taste. Anyone who says there is is deluding themselves. Much in the same way, that people who say different colour smarties taste different are deluding themselves. Except of course, the orange smarty. Which does indeed taste different.

What the hell am I on about?!!

Beruthiel

Originally posted by Dr. Loon
What the hell am I on about?!!

Darned if I know Dr. Loony - which you clearly are btw....

there is a huge difference between the taste of screw topped wine (which I call antifreeze-Bart Simpson went to France episode ) and corked bottles
perhaps we need to have a boards.ie wine tasting evening....

Gyck

Sounds snopish.

It sure does...

But I've wrestled with a few corks in my time and thought afterwards that I could have done some serious damage if the bottle broke.

I use one of the screwpull openers. I've had it 6 years now, worth every penny (or cent).

As for cork/synthetic cork/screwcap, I don't believe there's a difference in taste. Though I'd hate to see Champagne/sparkling wines use screwcaps, I love the ceremony associated with their opening. Of course, using a screwcap on a champagne bottle would probably not be a Methode Champenoise-type thing to do...

Paladin

Funnily enough there was a big wine tasting thing about a year ago in Bordeaux, with lots of wine critics voting their favourite wine without seeing what wine it was.
Turns out they all picked, on average, screw capped wines over corked. The famous wine critic Michel Rolland was amongst them.

This was on sky news when I saw it btw.

So I rekon people only say corks are better because they have been fooled into thinking they are because of image and not because of the taste.

Dr. Loon

Originally posted by Paladin
Funnily enough there was a big wine tasting thing about a year ago in Bordeaux, with lots of wine critics voting their favourite wine without seeing what wine it was.
Turns out they all picked, on average, screw capped wines over corked. The famous wine critic Michel Rolland was amongst them.

This was on sky news when I saw it btw.

So I rekon people only say corks are better because they have been fooled into thinking they are because of image and not because of the taste.

Precisely. It's just image. Like smarties.... eh... better not start on the smarties again.

ixoy

How odd! Someone here on Oregonwines had the same experience!

Dr. Loon

Originally posted by ixoy
How odd! Someone here on Oregonwines had the same experience!

Just crazy isn't it? Poor people.

po0k

Originally posted by Dr. Loon
Much in the same way, that people who say different colour smarties taste different are deluding themselves. Except of course, the orange smarty. Which does indeed taste different.

What the hell am I on about?!!

Don't stop!

I thought I was the only one....




Also, you'll cork the wine if you screw into the cork too far.
you just have to build the technique.


I'm the guy who bought a proper metal lever cork-screw to go bushing with, while the rest of the plebs were all "cracking" * the cork in the bottle.


* cracking is a term from my local area given to the act of pushing the cork into the bottle.
May have originated from the occasional occurance of a frustrated wine drinker getting annoyed with the cork not going down easily, as happens when there's just that little bit too much wine int he bottle, and cracking the neck of the bottle against a stone/wall/head

Blossom Hill rosé was nice

po0k

Originally posted by Beruthiel
Darned if I know Dr. Loony - which you clearly are btw....

there is a huge difference between the taste of screw topped wine (which I call antifreeze-Bart Simpson went to France episode ) and corked bottles
perhaps we need to have a boards.ie wine tasting evening....

A Boards Wine & Cheese reception.

with mustard

Sleepy

Count me in if this is organised, as long as we're not doing that whole spitting out the wine bit!

rousel

Hi Folks! Seeing as everyone has so many tales to tell about wine, how's about putting that interest to use. I'm a student and for my thesis I am doing a study of the Irish wine consumer...if you are interested in taking part please click on the link that is attached to this message. I wish I could say that there's a bottle of wine for everyone in the audience, but there ain't. I only have one week to get it finished so I would appreciate if you could fill it out as soon as you can. It will take less than 5 minutes of your time and would help me alot...so go on, do your good deed for the day!

please click on the link below

http://student.dcu.ie/~rousel2/index.html

thanks a million

koneko

Originally posted by Sleepy
Count me in if this is organised, as long as we're not doing that whole spitting out the wine bit!

I think they call events like that "Boards Beer"

seamus

Originally posted by rousel
Hi Folks! Seeing as everyone has so many tales to tell about wine, how's about putting that interest to use. I'm a student and for my thesis I am doing a study of the Irish wine consumer...if you are interested in taking part please click on the link that is attached to this message. I wish I could say that there's a bottle of wine for everyone in the audience, but there ain't. I only have one week to get it finished so I would appreciate if you could fill it out as soon as you can. It will take less than 5 minutes of your time and would help me alot...so go on, do your good deed for the day!

please click on the link below

http://student.dcu.ie/~rousel2/index.html

thanks a million

Blatantly started this thread to get us all to look.

Kudos.

ballooba

Originally posted by Gyck
I use one of the screwpull openers. I've had it 6 years now, worth every penny (or cent).

Nineteen-Ninety-Eight twas the year of the penny.

Stark

The general pubic is under the assumption

Uhhmmm...

Beruthiel

Originally posted by SyxPak
with mustard

naturally....

RCCOLA

NOT A JOKE. USED A CORKSCREW, PULLED GENTLY UPWARD, NOT AN IDIOT. JUST SOMEONE THAT GOT HURT PRETTY BAD, ENDED UP IN MICRO SURGERY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY. DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE. GUESS GIVING A S--- ABOUT OTHERS MAKES YOU A FOOL. NOT SUPPOSED TO BUY A BOTTLE OF WINE AND END UP WITH A PERMANENT DISABILITY.

BY THE WAY, EVEN THE WINE MAKERS KNOW THAT CORKS ONLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO TASTE IF THEY CAUSE IT TO BE TAINTED, OTHERWISE IT IS JUST THE PERCEPTION OF WINE SNOBS!

THANKS FOR ALL THE CARING COMMENTS. IT WAS VERY NICE. ALL HEART.

WE ARE NOT MESSAGE BOARD AUTHORITIES, IF WE KNEW A WAY TO POST THE PICS ON HERE, WE WOULD. IT WAS A VERY BAD INJURY AND HAS CAUSED HIM A LOT OF DIFFICULTY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM.

Woden

it seems to have caused you type to completely in caps now also, i wonder if they can fix that?

Doctor J

Perhaps investing in the type of cork extraction device as seen in the Tesco ad, which doesn't place any stress on the neck of the bottle, would be a wise investment. The traditional corkscrew which requires the operator to hold the bottle in one hand and extract the cork in the other places exterme stress on the neck of the bottle. Add a percentage of drunkenness and one can easily envisage lateral forces at work on the neck of the bottle, as well as those pulling the cork away from the bottle. It's a recipie for disaster if you ask me. If I were the judge I'd throw this case right out. The bottle was sturdy enough to withstand insertion of the cork, transporation from the factory to your hand, etc. A hard luck tale if ever I heard one. Buy a decent cork extraction device you cheap bastid and don't blame others for misfortunes which you yourself could have avoided. Harsh, yes, but realistic. What happened to you was unfortunate and you have all our sympathies but you could have prevented this.

Gyck

Perhaps investing in the type of cork extraction device as seen in the Tesco ad, which doesn't place any stress on the neck of the bottle, would be a wise investment.

The owner of Bin No.9 in Clonskeagh showed me a very cool opener. It used a kind of syringe which pierced the cork, then injected inert gas into the neck. Pushes the cork out no problem.

earwicker

Originally posted by Beruthiel
philistine!
There is no such thing as a substitute for the cork!
a poor work man blames his tools
I have opened more bottles of wine than I care to mention, with the right attitude, the correct bottle opener and a gentle touch, any bottle can be opened successfully

signed
wine drinker specialist

Sorry to hear about the terrible injury. Yikes.

Actually, a lot of the so-called "new world" wine producers are starting to use both plastic corks and screws caps. The two are more reliable now due to the vast quantities of poor quality cork out there: less wine is corked by the reaction of the wine with bacteria that live in the cork.

There is nothing added to the wine using a cork except a misplaced sense of cultural cachet.

<edit for typo>

hacktavist

You should be carefull doin that syxpak I know a girl who was doin that and the bottle exploded she had to get a load of stiched and surgery on her hand because it cut a nerve or something.

RCCOLA

We researched different methods of cork extraction, the one that has the inert gas is probably said to be the most dangerous. It often causes bottles to explode if there is the slightest defect in the glass or bottle. Defective bottles are not scarce, there are lots of them. Just don't want to see others have to go thru this kind of thing. We just wanted to enjoy a glass of wine, without hassle.

Thanks!

Only Human

jesus, who knew opening a bottle could be so dangerous!

Woden

Originally posted by Gyck
inert gas

inert gas though? what if it reacted with something in the wine

subway_ie

Originally posted by Dataisgod
inert gas though? what if it reacted with something in the wine

Isn't inert gas usually.... well, inert? Not very reacitve really.

Blisterman

I have a scar on my hand from opening a wine bottle in work.
Though, I cut myself off the foil cutting knife.

Gyck

We researched different methods of cork extraction, the one that has the inert gas is probably said to be the most dangerous.

Your observation is certainly pertinent. I guess that's one of the reasons I haven't seen such a device in general circulation. I'll be sticking to my screwpull for a while yet.

thespianshane

Last week Friday I was opening an Italian white with a plastic cork. I am a professional bartender in Manhattan, and I have opened hudreds of bottles. The plastic cork in this particular brand are extremely difficult to get out, and I often chip the edges of the lip trying to lever them out. Instead I normally get under these bottles and pull up. Doing this, in a split second, the neck snapped and the lower part of the bottle exploded in my left hand. I was rushed to the emergency and after 2 hours of surgery I received 28 stiches and several other lacerations with no skin left leaving them no choice to stich places up. I now have distal nerve damage in my left and middle fingers and am out of work for at least a month. I must also go to further therapy to try and get movement back into my fingers as I cannot move them completely.
Can a law suit against these wine companies be an option? I have the entire episod on tape as we have cameras in our bar. I also have many witnesses and my doctor agreeing that I should go forward with suing. Do I have any kind of case? Advice?

RCCOLA

thespianshane


Sorry to hear about your injuries.

Seems to me that you shouldn't end up in surgery and physical therapy just because you bought and attempted to open a bottle of wine. Just in our daily contact since my injury we have come across many people that have had similar problems with cork extraction but most are fortunate enough to avoid the injury, some even attempt to drive the cork back in the bottle. Lots of bottle breakage, chipping and exploding. There was another post from another person at
http://www.oregonwines.com/account/board/topic.php?MessageID=534.

I would be interested in the details of your accident. If at all possible, keep the broken bottle and any pieces. The wine company will probably try to say it is your fault but, where are the instructions and warnings on the bottle? Is there a lot number on the bottle? I can provide photos of my injury and of the bottle if you need them for an attorney, I would like the same from you if possible. Maybe we can help each other out.

My injury costs are in excess of about $30,000 and we haven't received final totals yet. Even after surgery and physical therapy, I walk around "flipping the bird" all the time, been laughed at and almost shot because I had it outside the car window and some nut thought I was aiming it at him. As I think of other things I will email you. I would like to hear from more people, I know we are NOT the only ones!
Have a good one!
RC

---

Original Message

---

From: BSurfinCowboy@aol.com
To: CLASSEMPORIUM@HOTMAIL.COM
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 7:18 PM
Subject: I too was injured


I posted a reply to your posting. I am thinking of taking action in a law suit. What do you think?

griffdaddy

Originally posted by RCCOLA
I am a one handed "pecker"

ha ha pecker! get over it ffs, you could slip on a bar of soap in the shower and be killed. this reminds me of that episode of the simpsons when bart puts homers beer in the paint mixer and it blows up, do you freak out everytime you see wine now? it's your own fault, you should be able to feel when you're putting too much pressure on the bottle. if you sue, you're a scumbag, it was a genuine accident.

thespianshane

To the monkey calling himself "griffdaddy": Your an Idiot. The bottle exploding is not from excess pressure on the bottle. It was clearly a defective bottle that was faulty from the beginning. I have opened hundreds of wine bottles as I am a professional bartender in Manhattan. I have done excessive research on this exact problem and have already found numerous cases of the exact thing happening, and several of them going to court. If you have something to say "griff", say it with some thought and perhaps even apply some knowledge to the matter. Otherwise, keep your remarks to yourself.

hostyle

I am a professional glass chewer from from the west of ireland. I have been performing this act for almost seven years. Part of my act involves giving a free gift of a bottle of wine to the audience, and later in the show when I appear they hand me the glass and I do my thing. Last week the member of the audience that was awarded with this free gift placed the cork back in the bottle before giving it back to me, a fact which I failed to notice. I chewed my way through the glass and almost choked on the cork. I had to drink at least one full glass of water to recover. As a result I now hate the pubic that I must perform to.

griffdaddy

Originally posted by thespianshane
I often chip the edges of the lip trying to lever them out.

evidently you're not that professional pal, and what do you mean by professional, it's not as if people do a bit of freelance bartending on the side, or bartend for fun. stop looking for sympathy

ButcherOfNog

the nerve damage you're talking about doesn't add up, i know all about nerve damage in left hands. feel free to explain in detail, as I know your doctors would have informed you, of the names of the nerves you damaged and the extent of the damage. How long ago was it that it happened?

griffdaddy

is he talking nonsense?

seamus

Originally posted by griffdaddy
is he talking nonsense?

Yep. Clearly he goes around web boards posting up the same nonsense (copying and pasting the same nonsense at that).

For what purpose is anyone's guess....

griffdaddy

awww, let's send him money and a bionic hand

thespianshane

I don't feel as if I need to reply to such nonsense, but Im going to since Im here anyway. I am professional because this what I do for a living. You ever watched the movie Cocktail? Well there are the schmucks that work in some hole in a wall bar slinging out a beer and maybe a mixed drink every once in a while and then there are the real bars. The real bars are 5 people deep surronding your bar all wanting you to make them one of those "cool drinks" you made before. Keep that up for ten hours and walk out with a grand in your pocket and the hottest chick that was there around your arms, and that my ill informed friend is a professional.
And to the dude who thinks he knows all about nerves in the left hand. What a doofus. Its called distal nerve damage. I received it in my index and middle fingers. Its after the two nerves that run up the left and right side of your fingers branch out like a tree into the upper part of your finger. I cut them all below where it starts to branch out. Does that help "Doctor?"
I posted this originally to see if any one else has had this happen. I have gotten several responses of similar incidents. However, I have also had dummies like the above respond. Get a grip guys. If you can't help, beat it!