And it shows in everything he makes. When not assembling cork and copper trivets, Wick enjoys making furniture like the black walnut library table in their entry way. With its balanced lines, silken finish and perfect proportions, it could easily have come from a fine furniture store instead of the lumberyard. Dissatisfied, yet not willing to abandon his idea, Wick contacted Barbara Zimmerman, who heads up quality control at Hogue Cellars in Prosser. Zimmerman's job is to inspect every cork shipment, discarding any misshapen, damaged or ill-made corks.
Some flaws are so subtle, they take a cork expert to spot.
But when they're there, they can't use them. The bottles wouldn't seal, and the wine would be ruined. The new corks were perfect for Wick's project. All the same size, same color and, most important, level. Wick's trivets are available at wine shops, gift shops and wineries in Washington and Oregon and, as of Christmas 1998, through Horchow's, a household catalog published by Nieman Marcus.