You have a bottle of fine wine, and are ready for a private tasting. How to uncork it? Read on to discover four different ways to open a bottle of wine: with a sommelier knife, with a double lever corkscrew, hammer and nails, or a shoe.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Opening the Wine with a Sommelier Knife
Step 1. Remove the foil capsule
The sommelier knife consists of a small folding knife on one end and a foldable corkscrew on the other. Open the small knife and use it to make an incision on the foil capsule just below the end (rib at the top of the bottle neck). Remove the foil capsule and throw it away, then fold the knife back.
- Some sommelier knives have a sharp disc instead of a knife, specifically to engrave the foil capsule.
- The capsule must always be cut just below the baga to prevent it from coming into contact with the wine during mixing. In fact, contact can change the flavor of the wine.
Step 2. Take out the corkscrew and insert it into the cork
Place the tip of the corkscrew in the center of the cork, sink it (but not too far) and start spinning. Continue turning the corkscrew until there is only one turn left.
- Do not sink the corkscrew too far into the cork, or cork crumbs may get lost in the wine.
- If you don't turn it correctly, the cap may split open when you try to pull it out.
Step 3. Start pulling out the cap
Lower the lever arm towards the neck of the bottle. Place the first set of indentations at the bottom of the lever arm on the bottle end. Press down on the lever so that the cork begins to lift. If necessary, use the second set of indentations on the lever arm to continue pulling out the cap.
- Make sure you have a firm grip on the bottle, and that the lever arm is in place, before you start pulling. Otherwise the lever may slip.
- If the cork does not give way, you may not have inserted the corkscrew deep enough. Turn it until there is only one turn left before using the lever.
Step 4. Pull out the cap
Pull the handle of the sommelier knife firmly. The cap should easily pop out of the bottle with a slight "pop".
- If the cork does not come out, insert the corkscrew deeper, lift the cork using the lever arm, and try to pull the handle again.
- In chic restaurants, sommeliers pull the corkscrew out of the bottle when the cork is still in place, then pull it out by hand. The cork is placed on the table so that the customer can check the freshness of the wine.
Method 2 of 4: Open the Wine with a Double Lever Corkscrew
Step 1. Remove the foil capsule
Most double-lever corkscrews don't have built-in knives, so use a sharp kitchen knife to score the capsule just below the bottle neck. Pull it away and discard it.
Step 2. Place the corkscrew
Place the tip (worm) of the corkscrew in the center of the cork and press gently. The metal hat around the tip should rest over the bottle, with the double lever along the neck.
Step 3. Turn the knob
Hold the metal cap over the bottle with one hand, and use the other to turn the knob and insert the tip into the cap. As you turn it, the double lever will rise. Turn the knob until the double lever is in a vertical position.
Step 4. Lower the levers and remove the cap
Place the bottle on the table and use both hands to lower the levers of the corkscrew. As you lower them, the cap will pop up. Keep pushing until the levers are flat on the sides of the bottle neck and the cap pulled out.
- If you lower the levers and the cap is still in the bottle, use the knob to screw in further until the levers are back in place. Lower them to lift the cap. Continue this process until you are able to pull the cap out.
- You may have to grab the corkscrew and pull the cork out to finish the job.
Method 3 of 4: Open the Wine with a Hammer and Nails
Step 1. Remove the foil capsule
Use a sharp kitchen knife to score the capsule just below the baga on the neck of the bottle. Pull it away and discard it.
Step 2. Insert 5 nails into the cap
Use a hammer to gently drive five small nails in a row along the cap. They must be close, but not touching. Use the hammer until there is very little space between the head of the nails and the cap.
- This method works best if you use long, thin nails. The short and thick ones will not pull the cap out as easily.
- Be careful when hammering in the nails. Check that the hammer does not touch the glass bottle.
Step 3. Start pulling out the cap
Place the hammer tooth over the first nail in the row. Hold the bottle steady with one hand and use the other to lift the nail with the tooth. The cap will also rise slightly. Continue along the row of nails, pulling out the cap as you remove them.
Step 4. Pull out the cap
Once all the nails are removed, the cap should be raised enough to finish the job with elbow grease. Grab the bottle with one hand and remove the cap from the bottle with the other.
Method 4 of 4: Open the Wine with a Shoe
Step 1. Remove the foil capsule
Use a sharp kitchen knife to score the capsule just below the baga on the neck of the bottle. Pull it away and discard it.
Step 2. Place the bottle upside down between your legs
Sit on a stable chair and place the bottle in a safe position between your legs. The neck of the bottle must face downwards, and the base upwards.
Step 3. Tap the bottle with the sole of a shoe
Hold the bottle tightly with your legs and one hand, and use the other to tap the base with the sole of a flat shoe. With each stroke, the cap should come off a little.
- Hit the bottle firmly and along the base. Don't hit it with all your strength, and don't scratch the edges, or it might break. However, if there seems to be no progress, you will probably have to hit it a little harder.
- Make sure the bottle is in a stable position. Don't hold it still with your legs only; use your free hand to grab it.
Step 4. Check the cap and pull it out
Check the progress of the cork, and keep tapping the bottle until it is protruding enough that you can grab it with your hand and pull it out.
- If you try to pull the cap out and it is firmly planted in the bottle, turn it upside down and give it a few more taps before trying again.
- Don't slam the bottle until the cork pops out on its own, or you may waste a few glasses of wine.
Advice
- If the cork is hard, stand with the bottle between your knees and pull the corkscrew. This should give you a little more leverage to uncork the bottle.
- If you have an old wine with a lot of sediment, it is best to keep it resting on its side, quiet, until you have to drink it. When you need to serve it, put it in an inclined bottle holder. Remove the cap with the bottle in that position (be careful not to spill the wine) and use a wine decanter wisely.
