THE STORY ~ What could wine and cycling possibly have in common? Why, the genius of Tullio Campagnolo of course! Cycling enthusiasts are well aware of the precision bicycle components produced by the Campagnolo® company he founded, but often overlooked is the now-legendary Campagnolo BIG Corkscrew introduced in 1966 and patented by Tullio in 1967.

Tullio Campagnolo was a champion Italian racing cyclist and a great legend in bicycle component invention and manufacture. He founded Campagnolo®, one of the few remaining bicycle industry companies that stubbornly resists outsourcing the manufacture of its products, still made in Italy. Tullio established an early reputation for meticulous workmanship and innovative, aesthetically-graceful designs. Beloved by passionate Campy fans, the company’s bicycle components even today are defined by old-world values of artisan craftsmanship.

Manufactured at Campagnolo’s own factory in Vincenza, Italy, Il Cavatappi—the corkscrew—is an elegant precision instrument patented for its own unique features. It includes a telescopic self-aligning spring-loaded bell cover that ensures the screw is always placed in the center of the cork, and, also prevents the glass from chipping or breaking regardless of bottle size. The large wormscrew of hardened steel with a wide and sharp profile is designed so that it never pierces the bottom of the cork, thus keeping cork fragments out of the wine and, consistently assuring a perfect grip on the cork. The powerful 17cm (6.7 inch) levers allow the easy extraction of even the most stubborn corks without shaking the bottle—a must for fine vintages that are easily ruined by disturbed sediment within the bottle.

Today, vintage Campy gear has nearly a cult following: fans are notoriously passionate and dedicated in their belief that Campagnolo gear is the best of all choices. As the company itself says about its corkscrew: “Campagnolo® has extended the concept of genial design with a product that reflects this inventive spirit even in everyday life…”

The perfect trio after a long day’s ride: vin de soif (“thirst-quenching wine” as the French say), a precision corkscrew to open it, and, our fresh wearable Corkscrew-BIG design that celebrates the versatile inventiveness of Tullio Campagnolo.