Sometimes, a stubborn cork is the only thing standing between you and your favorite wine. Sure, we get it—it’s there to protect the wine and keep it fresh and aromatic, but when it’s time to drink some wine, the cork needs to screw itself off.
But honestly, though, we’re making it sound more dramatic than it is. Most of the time, with a corkscrew, it’s not that hard to open a wine bottle. But when you can’t find a corkscrew—that’s when you need to get crafty.
Here’s everything that’ll help.
How To Open Your Wine Bottle Using A Typical Corkscrew?
So, you’ll come across different types of corkscrews, including a typical waiter’s corkscrew, a wing corkscrew, a lever corkscrew, or an electric corkscrew. We suggest you invest in a typical wine bottle opener, also known as the typical corkscrew, and easily available in stores.
When opening with a corkscrew, the first step is to cut into the foil all the way around the neck of the wine bottle and remove the foil neatly. Next, press the tip of your corkscrew in the cork’s center and push gently to break the surface. Once you’ve positioned the corkscrew, you can straighten it upright and start rotating. It usually takes 6 to 7 rotations to latch the lever into the bottle’s upper lip. You can start pushing down when the lever’s in place, slowly leveraging the cork. Once the cork is 90 percent out, you can wiggle it and gently pull at it to remove it by hand.
What To Do When You Don’t Have A Corkscrew?
Not everyone has a corkscrew lying around the kitchen, and far too many people can’t find it when they actually need it, so you’re not the only one with this search query.
Here are some of the best hacks you can turn to when you don’t have a corkscrew at hand but are craving wine
Try A Lighter
- Remove the foil by cutting it out;
- Use the lighter to warm up the neck of the bottle;
- Keep using the lighter until the air inside the bottle and under the cork is warm enough to expand and push the cork out;
- This should generally take a minute or two.
Use A Key
- Find a key and a towel;
- Insert the tip of the key into the cork at a 45-degree angle;
- Start skewering the cork at an angle and cross the center;
- Once the key is firmly in place, cover the key with a towel and press it down with force;
- Then start rotating the key while gently lifting it;
- The cork should start coming out gradually
If you’d like to learn more about wine and how to handle the exciting beverage, consider joining Augusta Vina’s Hill Country Wine Club. We offer everything from regular wine deliveries to seated wine tasting and educational sommelier tours.
Give us a call for details.
