5 Common But Creative Ways To Open A Wine Bottle When You Do Not Have A Corkscrew

Can you think of the worst thing that you could happen to you when you are ready to do some private tasting of a great bottle of wine? Yes, that is correct, not having a corkscrew! You would probably end up cussing and wondering if it would even be possible to extract the damned cork from the bottle without a corkscrew. Well, you certainly are lucky because you do not always need a corkscrew to open a bottle of wine, especially if you do not have on in the first place. Try the following ideas instead and you will be sipping fine wine in no time.

1. Use The Hilt Method To Open A Wine Bottle

Start by wrapping a towel around the bottom of the bottle. Hit the bottom of the bottle evenly and firmly, though not too hard, against a vertical surface that is reasonably flat, such as a tree or a wall. Gradually, the cork will get slightly nudged out by the pressure of the wine against it. If that does not work, you can also hold the bottle between your knees upside-down and strike a gently strike a shoe against the bottom so that the cork gets nudged out enough. You can use your hands or a pair of pliers to remove the cork that should be partially out by now.

2. Use A Knife To Open A Wine Bottle

You can try to pull the cork out of a bottle of the bottle of wine using a clean paring or pocket knife. Make sure the blade of the knife is not wider than the neck of the bottle. It is recommended that you use a serrated knife. If you want to pry the cork out using the knife from the side, make sure you apply even and slow pressure. If you use this method, gripping the bottle neck slightly below where you will using the knife is recommended. Keep moving your grip up as the cork continues to come up. Alternatively, you can work you knife into the cork from the top, by applying light downward pressure while moving the knife back and forth. Once you manage to bury the knife into the cork, begin slightly pulling the cork out while twisting the cork back and forth, and slowly pull it out.

3. Use A Hammer & Nails To Open A Wine Bottle

First, score the foil directly below the bottle’s lip using a knife in order to cut it and then remove the foil cap. Get a hammer and five finishing nails and gently hammer them in a line, make sure that they are in close proximity. Fit the line of nails into the claw end of the hammer and gently pull the nails upward, while holding the bottle steady, and you will eventually end up pulling the cork out as well.

4. Use A Pair Of Pliers & Screws To Open A Wine Bottle

Find a pair of pliers and a screw, with a wide distance between its threads. Use your pair of pliers to screw the screw into the cork of the bottle until it is sticking out about half an inch above. Now all you will have to do is to pull the screw out using the pliers and the cork will come out with it. 

5. Use The Push Method To Open A Wine Bottle

Relieve the pressure that will be there when you try pushing the cork in by piercing it with a knife all the way through. Place the bottle on a flat, steady surface like the floor or on a table. Use a cylindrical container of chapstick, a long rod, a slim knife sharpener or a thick marker to push the cork down. The wine may spray out a bit so point the bottle’s opening away from any people. Pushing the cork inside will cause to pop out, most likely with a splash.

Do not let the fact that you do not have a corkscrew from preventing you from sipping some fine wine. If any of the above items are within reach, just use one of the above ideas to open your wine bottle.