First-World Problems...

Wine bottles sealed with corks usually have some sort of metal (sometimes plastic) capsule around the cork and neck to protect it from insects and dust and whatever else may be floating around. They used to be made from lead, which is nice and soft and molds perfectly to the neck of the bottle. But that was phased out over some small risk that maybe the lead would get into the wine.

So now they use aluminum or tin, which works well, I guess, but it is sharper and stiffer than lead. Ideally they should use a screw cap and dispense with the capsule. But tradition is a powerful thing in the wine industry!

However that nice sharp chunk of aluminum in the photo above led to a chunk of flesh being cut out of my thumb! I cut the capsule with a small knife and peeled it away from the bottle, but the cut edge was so sharp that it neatly sliced my thumb practically down to the bone. There was blood everywhere. I barely survived!

Yes, life is often difficult...

posted by CBD at 02:00 PM

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