Tool: Torkscrew

Twist of Fate
The story of the Leisa Bates and
the development of the TorkScrew

“I need to tell you that this wine is a screwcap wine” …… hearing this almost apologetic statement from embarrassed servers so many times over the course of several months was getting old!
I thought, “ there are so many great wines that come in screw cap now so why the hesitation in serving it? “ “It’s just not the same presentation” is the only answer I ever received. After the conversation with the latest distraught waiter I sketched out an idea on the proverbial cocktail napkin.
Since so many wines, from all over the world, are switching to screwcaps we needed a tool that would bring back the beautiful presentation to opening wine, any bottle of wine.
So I invented the Torkscrew, the Swiss army knife of bottle openers.

The idea languished for a year while family and my work at our Ad Agency, Zoom Creates took precedence. Then we had the good fortune to go to Italy on Holiday in the summer of 2009.

While my husband Mark sculpted I toured the many wineries and markets in search of local fare for our evening meals.
The vision for my company was sparked by inspiration received during that delightful summer in Tuscany.

At wineries and the small restaurants I stopped at I was always impressed by the way the Italians ate, drank and entertained friends with such an easy, relaxed style. I also noticed that the Italians were particularly upset with the opening of a screwcap wine. It just didn’t fit with their age-old traditions. Each time, at each place I went I saw the same type of interactions and it really spoke to my heart and my own love for entertaining. I could see how the TorkScrew could help.

It also reminded me of any given night at my home in Orenco Oregon. You might find Neil, our closest friend, Mark and I in the kitchen cooking with whom ever “just stops by. All our friends better be prepared to be put to work as well! …. chopping , grilling or pouring wine. It’s a real group effort and our friends have become more like an extended family to us!

When we returned from Italy the thoughts of the TorkScrew just wouldn’t go away. I needed to share the enjoyment I felt during that lovely summer spent sipping wines, sharing meals and making memories and TorkScrew was going to help make that happen.

To that end ,on January 1st, 2010, Neil, Mark and I launched a new company, BellaSvago Enterprises (translates as Beautiful Entertainment in Italian) to handle the national launch of our first product the TorkScrew. We are actively developing a number of exciting products to assist in entertaining beautifully.