How To Uncork Wine Without Corkscrew

Use A Bike Pump To Open A Wine Bottle Instead Of A Cork Screw

Taking a bottle of wine on a bike ride? We know how to open that corked wine bottle if you have a bike pump, but no corkscrew.

While were not sure this its the best idea, to ride your bike with a bottle of wine, Gatorade doesnt always do the trick. Most serious cyclists will have an emergency kit on them, including a bike pump. This comes in handy for flat tires and wine bottles. Just push the needle through the cork and into the bottle. While you pump air into the bottle, in theory, the air pressure will cause the cork to push out of the top. Bonus: youll essentially be aerating your wine at the same time. Win-Win!

Push Your Cork Inside Instead

If you cant take it out, push it in! Ones main worry when it comes to the cork falling into the wine are the cork crumbs. Well, fret not! You can use a wooden spoon with a long, thin handle, like this one, to shove the cork right into the bottle.

You must get rid of any foil covering first and then apply pressure to the top of the cork. If youre able to apply enough pressure, the cork should pop free and fall into the wine without much in the way of spoiling the wine.

Five Ways To Open Wine Without A Corkscrew

1. Screw It

Simple items such as a long screw, screwdriver and a hammer can easily be used to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. Just use the screwdriver to screw the screw into the center of the cork. Leave enough room so you can use the hammer to lift the cork out.

2. Heat the Cork Out

This might be my least favorite way to open wine without a corkscrew simply because I dont like adding HEAT or glass to my wine. But if you have a lighter or kitchen torch you can get your bottle open and do a little science experiment at the same time.

3. Push It

Using the butt of a knife, spoon, pen, key or any blunt object you can apply pressure in the center of the cork and simply push down so the cork is literally pushed into the bottle allowing you to pour the wine. The downside to using this method is that the cork still in the bottle. If its old and crumbly you may find yourself wanting to strain the bottle to remove the pieces. If this does happen, you can use strainer over your decanter and pour the bottle in. Viola, no more cork!

4. Unlock the Bottle

Using a key or serrated knife, press it down into the middle of the cork at an angle. Try to get it about halfway into the cork. Then twist and lift, twist and lift, twist and left. If the cork breaks during your twisting and lifting, youll need to plan to go back to the pushing method.

5. Smack, Slap or Hit It Out

Sip In More Wine 101…

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Slap It Out With A Shoe

This is a similar method to the previous one, but its a little less risky. Wrap the bottom of the wine bottle in a towel, but instead of proceeding to slam it against a wall, simply put it upside down in between your legs while sitting and slap it with a shoe. This may take a long time, but it is a safer option than number 6. Remember to stop before the cork comes all the way out, or else you will have yourself a bit of a mess and some permanent stains.

Easy Ways To Open Wine Without A Corkscrew

Including a few tips from everyone’s favorite wine connoisseur, John Legend.

Whether the one corkscrew in your home has gone missing or ends up broken , the issue always presents itself at the moment you need it mostwhen guests are over and you’re trying to open a nice bottle of wine.

Im sure youve heard of 100,000 ways to open a corked bottle without a corkscrew, but maybe you’ll actually remember them if you watch John Legend teach you how?

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The One With A Bit Of String

The screwdriver is making a second appearance with this one. Make a hole in the cork with the screwdriver, get a piece of string and tie a knot in it at its end, and push it down the hole. You can then yank it out using the string. The yank is not to be underestimated, it needs a mighty pull for it to work.

How To Open A Wine Bottle With A Lighter

This is our favorite way to open a wine bottle without a wine opener. But please be careful. It involves fire.

First, remove the foil or wax to expose the cork. Then use a lighter and apply the flame on the neck of the bottle, just beneath where the cork is. The idea is to heat the air beneath the cork. This causes the air to expand and push the cork upward.

Rotate the placement of the lighter around the bottleâs neck to make sure youâre heating all the air. In a minute or two, youâll see the cork creeping upwards and out.

This is our preferred method because thereâs no risk in breaking the cork and it’s nothing something you learn about wine from a book.

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The Wire Hanger Technique

And you thought you could only cleared clogged drains with unwound hangers, really. If you twist a spare wire hanger into the shape of a corkscrew, you can easily wiggle your cork out of the bottle with a few quick twists.

If in the course of your adventures in DIY opening youve managed to shred your cork into bits and send them spewing into the wine itself, a last-minute hack for you strain your wine over a coffee filter. Itll be like the cork never even existed in the first place.

Clever Hacks On How To Open A Wine Bottle Without A Corkscrew

Your favorite stemware is ready. You bring out that bottle of wine that youve been thinking of for days, then you realize that you cant find the corkscrew. You end up asking yourself, how to open wine bottle without opener?

There are many ways to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew. You can use household items, such as a wire hanger, a key, scissors, or even a wooden spoon to push the cork down.

Before you start wasting that vino out of frustration, take comfort in knowing that you can safely perform these tried and tested hacks at the comfort of your home.

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Wrap The Bottle With A Towel And Use The Wall To Smack It Out

This is the point on the list where things get a bit dangerous, so proceed with caution. The previous two options required at least one tool, but if you find yourself with scarce resources, this option may be your best friend. Simply wrap the bottom of the wine bottle in a thick towel and bang it against a wall repeatedly. Obviously, the bottle may break if you do this, so consider it a last resort. You wont get the cork out of the bottle the first time you smack it against the wall, so we suggest refraining from using your full strength. Instead, lightly hit the bottle against the wall many times, slowly moving the cork out.

Push It With A Wooden Spoon

A wooden spoon with a long, thin handle is the perfect instrument to shove the cork right into the bottle and free your wine, according to Food Mob Bites. Remove any foil covering, and apply pressure to the top of the cork. With some strength, it should pop free and slide into the bottle without creating any cork crumbs.

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How To Open A Wine Bottle Without A Corkscrew: 10 Methods

Paul Goodman

Paul has been a fan of the grape for many years and is particularly partial to a glass of La Rioja, Cabernet Sauvignon, or cava.

If you want to find out lots of ways to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew, read on…

Public domain image via Pixabay

Most wine lovers have been in situations where they’re at a social event, on the beach, by the pool, or sailing in a boat with a bottle of their favorite wine, only to find that they can’t open it because they don’t have a corkscrew to remove the cork.

This article looks at various ways of opening a wine bottle without a corkscrew and then suggests a few ideas for avoiding the situation in the future.

So here, in no particular order, is my list of ways to uncork a wine bottle.

The Screw & Hammer Method

This method is the safest and most foolproof way to open a wine bottle.

You’ll need a screwdriver, a screw , and a hammer.

If you’re gentle, the cork should come out perfectly without any damage to the wine or the cork.

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Thats How To Get A Wine Bottle Open

Ideally, you have a good wine bottle opener. If not, hopefully youâve got a nice, firm shoe. And, bottle opened, youâll be ready to begin the next step of wine service: pouring wine. We recommend starting by reading how many ounces in a wine bottle.

You can supplement your wine pouring endeavors with some wine pourers or wine glasses with pour lines, too. However to best take advantage of your newly opened bottle, go with it.

The Other Shoe Method

Don’t have a wall? Or maybe you’re in a hotel with neighbors on the other side of the wall. Either way, this is a way to use your shoe to tap out the cork without making much noise. Fair warning, though: you’ll need to be extremely vigilant about how far the cork moves with every tap.

Make sure to check the cork before every tap the worst-case scenario here is for the cork to come out all the way, spilling the wine.

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The One With A Wall And Someones Shoe

This is always a showstopper at parties . Find a shoe thats fairly flat and firm, place your wine bottle in the shoe, base first. With the shoe in place, whack the base of the wine and shoe against a hard wall and the cork will slowly ease its way out. Keep an eye on that before you give yourself an accidental wine shower.

Unlock The Cork With Your Car Keys

Grab your car keyswith just one metal key, you can wiggle out a wine cork, according to Kent Yammo.

As the video shows, push your key at a 45° angle into the cork until most of the key is in the cork. Then, push the key around in circles while pulling up the cork will start to screw upward and will eventually twist free of the neck.

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The Hit It Hard On Its Bottom Method

This one is similar to the wall method, only without the wall.

• Take a seat.
• Hold the bottle of wine upturned between your knees and with a flat-soled shoe, rhythmically slap the bottom of the bottle of wine until pressure forces the cork out.
• Stop slapping when the cork is partway out or you could find yourself in a wine-covered mess.
• Remove the rest of the cork by hand.

Use A Serrated Knife To Twist The Cork Out

This method can also be done with a key, but that variation takes a bit more practice at an already quite difficult trick. Youll just need a serrated knife for this.

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How To Open A Wine Bottle With A Corkscrew

Opening a wine bottle with a wine bottle opener is a step-by-step process. Weâll lay it out one step at a time. And weâll assume youâre opening your wine bottle with a corkscrew on a wine key, a type of wine bottle opener.

• Step 1: Cut the foil beneath the bottleâs lower lip. Cut it all the way around the bottleâs neck. Then youâll be able to neatly remove the top of the foil off. As if you were politely removing someoneâs hat. Put the foil in your pocket.

• Step 2: Press the tip of the corkscrew into the center of the cork and push just enough to break the corkâs surface. This is where youâll be drilling down. Youâre just positioning the corkscrew right now. Next, straighten the corkscrew upright while still holding the tip in place.

• Step 3: Rotate the corkscrew approximately 6 to 7 times. Or however long it takes for the hook of the corkscrewâs lever to be in a position to latch onto the bottleâs upper lip.

• Step 4: Place the lever on the bottleâs upper and push down, leveraging the cork out. Donât do this too quickly. There shouldnât be a popping sound. Once the cork is almost entirely out, wiggle it and pull it gentle and finally remove it by hand.

• Step 5: Wipe the bottleâs lip of any sediment or cork pieces.

• Step 6: Place the cork on the table and your corkscrew in your pocket.

But wait, what if youâve got no corkscrew? All good.

Pull The Cork Out With A Screwdriver And A Screw

Not sure how to open wine without a corkscrew while avoiding damage to the cork? Simply grab a screwdriver, a long screw, and a hammer. With a little strength and patience, you should be able to remove it in one piece. First, use a screwdriver to insert a long screw into the cork.

When there’s about an inch of the screw left, wedge the backside of a hammer under the screw and carefully pull upward until the cork pops out.

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Apply Heat To Move The Cork Out

This option is pretty far out, but it really does work. Using a blowtorch or lighter, apply heat to the neck of the wine bottle right below the cork. The heat should force the cork to move upward and eventually out of the bottle. However, make sure the bottle is not cold, or else it could explode from the rapid change in temperature. If your bottle is already refrigerated, let it rest in a lukewarm environment for a while before applying heat.

Ways To Open A Wine Bottle Without A Corkscrew

So, how to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew

The vast majority of wine bottles these days are either sealed with a screw cap or a cork, . And whilst screw caps make for easy opening, a lot of wineries are opting for the cork preservation method again, after a brief hiatus caused by low-quality cork manufacturing in the 1980s.

And so corks have made a comeback, as not only are they a natural, renewable resource, but they have proven time and again that they can preserve the contents of a bottle of wine for the long haul.

Yes, corks might be 2-3 times more expensive than screw caps, and yes, natural corks breath at variable rates meaning they are mildly unpredictable, but there is no escaping it, worldwide demand for corks is on the up.

Therefore learning how to open a wine bottle without a bottle opener , is definitely a skill you will need as a discerning wine drinker.

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How To Open A Wine Bottle With A Twin Lever Corkscrew

Opening a bottle of wine with a twin lever corkscrew is the easiest way to remove a cork. Chances are youre familiar with these corkscrews that look like little men with very long arms.

These handy wine openers are perfectly designed for freeing your favorite drink from the bottle. If you dont have one, its certainly worth investing in one.

First, youll have to remove the foil from the top of the bottle. You can do this by running a knife under the lip of the bottle.

Once the foil is out of the way, place the corkscrew over the cork, with the arms down to the sides. Hold it in place and turn the head clockwise, driving the screw into the cork. The arms will start to rise slowly.

Once the arms are fully up, use both your hands to pull them down to the side. Then lift the corkscrew off the bottle.

Dont twist all the way to the bottom, ensuring that you leave at least one coil showing out of the cork. Push the lever onto the lip of the bottle, using it as leverage. Then, pull the cork out of the neck of the bottle.

Get your wine glasses ready because your bottle is open!