Fontenille Pataud Laguiole Sommelier

Fontenille Pataud is a small family business located in the beautiful Thiers, Auvergne region in France and is regarded for their high level of craftsmanship and hand finishing work. Thiers is world famous for its manufacturing of knives and cutlery.

The Laguiole knife has a distinctive design influenced by the Spanish Navaja. A smaller, more tactile version was made for the sheep-herders on the Aubrac plateau in France and was named after the town Laguiole.

While Laguiole styles are usually found on folding pocket knives, iconic characteristics are borrowed for these wine keys; the ‘bee’ or ‘fly’ on the bolster and intricately hand-carved spine ornamentation. 

The name and design of "Laguiole" fell into public domain and can legally be manufactured all over the world by anyone. Iit is important to distinguish the different makers of the Laguiole style, as there are vast differences in quality of manufacture and materials.