Go Two-Lever
Even on the most expensive bottles, Szabo says using a standard corkscrew with the two-lever design is all you need. Two levers are better because they allow you to pull the cork straight out of the bottle – the one-lever pullout puts a twist stress on the cork and breaks it. Though some people use the wing-style corkscrews, Szabo advises against it, because it actually goes through the cork and disintegrates it, creating floating particles in the wine. The good news is opening a bottle like Szabo won't cost you much. A standard Pulltap's corkscrew costs between $10 and $50.
Buy Eclectic
Want to create your own eclectic wine collection? To stock a cellar, Szabo recommends buying two to three bottles at a time, never a case.
Shop Around
Bottles don't have to be expensive to be good. In Szabo's opinion, it's almost more fun to discover a great $9 bottle of wine.
Roam The Regions
Try to ensure every wine region is represented. “People love the comfort and safety of brands,” he says, “but it's kind of boring. You wouldn't have the same thing for dinner every night, would you?”
