The art of wine tonging
In the heart of the Mistral Gastronomic Restaurant we offer an exclusive service for wine lovers: the opening of ancient bottles through "WINE TONGING", a historical method that guarantees the integrity of the rarest and most precious wines.
This practice, dating back to the 18th century, was originally used for vintage Port bottles, where the corks, due to their old age, were at risk of breaking or disintegrating. Our Head Sommelier attended a course in Portugal to perfect this fascinating and rare technique, ensuring that our guests can enjoy an unparalleled wine experience.
Hot iron tongs are carefully placed around the neck of the bottle, just below the cork. A cloth soaked in ice water is then applied to the same area, causing the glass to break cleanly and sharply due to thermal shock. Each bottle is then carefully decanted through a strainer to remove any glass fragments, and the break points on the neck of the bottle are sealed with hot wax, to preserve the cork trapped in the neck is given as a souvenir of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.