I am in awe of The Durand, a purpose-built wine owner that effortlessly plucks even the most decrepit and troubled corks from vintage bottles of wine. With a curious history and an ardent following in the wine industry, it’s no surprise that multiple interviewees recommended the Durand as a gift, but none more ardently than MJ Towler, host of my favorite wine podcast, The Black Wine Guy. “I learned about wine by tasting wine,” Towler tells me, “and so when I go to a wine tasting, I keep my Durand close.” This device — a combination of a corkscrew and a pair of cork removal tongs — is like a passport to enjoying the world of vintage wine, and should be your go-to for any bottle of wine more than ten years old.
By Jordan Michelman