We have a winner! When I asked the winery what it was, I was told an antique “Tire-Bouchon”, which is the French term for corkscrew or cork pull. There was no hole on the end for extraction. When I questioned why there was no “screw” per se, I was told politely. “Yes, Madame, it is a tire-bouchon!”
I think Steve is right on this one Christine. It’s a syringe used to inject Carbon bisulphide into the vineyards during the Phylloxera crisis. Was it at Chateau Villeneuve?
Darwin Foye
13 July, 2012 at 11:08How big is it? What is the “scale”? Perhaps it’s a gardening tool, or a giant injector for cattle medicine?
Christine Humphrey
13 July, 2012 at 11:17It’s about 4 feet long…It is wine related.
Steve Hagata
13 July, 2012 at 14:46I believe it is a means for injecting anti-phylloxera chemicals into the soil.
Christine Humphrey
13 July, 2012 at 14:58That crossed my mind when I first saw it. I’m still not sold on the tire-bouchon response.
Terry Graue
13 July, 2012 at 11:19Would the vinter use it to take samples out of the barrels?
Christine Humphrey
13 July, 2012 at 11:30You’re on the right track…
Linda
13 July, 2012 at 11:52looks like a cork puller
Christine Humphrey
13 July, 2012 at 12:15We have a winner! When I asked the winery what it was, I was told an antique “Tire-Bouchon”, which is the French term for corkscrew or cork pull. There was no hole on the end for extraction. When I questioned why there was no “screw” per se, I was told politely. “Yes, Madame, it is a tire-bouchon!”
Steve Hagata
13 July, 2012 at 14:48Ooops-Should have read further.
Cathy Henton
15 July, 2012 at 04:33I think Steve is right on this one Christine. It’s a syringe used to inject Carbon bisulphide into the vineyards during the Phylloxera crisis. Was it at Chateau Villeneuve?
Christine Humphrey
15 July, 2012 at 09:43I agree. I think so too. Yes, it was. I went back through my photos as it was not on the schedule.