5 WAYS TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF WINE WITHOUT A CORKSCREW
5 ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew
Maybe you rented a vacation home that wasn’t full. Maybe you’re camping or moving and you won’t see a cardboard box labeled “kitchen.” Whatever the reason, learning how to open a bottle of wine without a cork will come in handy at some point.
Most corks work the same way: You insert a round thread called a helix into the cork, then use the outer thread to pull it out of the neck of the bottle.
Some of the best ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew this movement, while others go in different directions. In any case, start by removing the aluminum cap from the neck of the bottle so that the entire cap is visible and accessible. The next steps will be determined by your environment, your strengths and your aversion to risk.
We asked wine experts about the best way to open a bottle of wine without a cork. These methods have been tried and tested by experts, but remember that none of them are completely foolproof. Chances of success are higher with natural cork than with synthetic, rubber or rubber. Most of the time, there is no way to know what the cap is made of until you open the bottle, so if you remove the aluminum cap from the neck of the bottle (which should be your first step when all) and spy a natural cork, you start well.
Here are five bottle opening techniques to get your next glass of wine:
Read also:THE 3 BEST WAYS TO KNOW IF THE BOTTLE OF WINE YOU OPENED HAS GONE BAD
Screw method
This method comes mainly from sommelier and wine teacher Pamela Vachon, and it’s one of the easiest solutions we’ve found. Vachon found himself in the situation mentioned above. Gently push a small house screw into the pack (I actually used an electric screwdriver at low low speed to do this). With about four inches of the screw exposed, you can gently remove the plug with the claw side of a hammer.”
Push-it-In System
This method is one of the most common ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew, especially since it does not require any special tools, just a random tool of your choice! The standard tip is a long wooden spoon. You can also use a butter knife or even a toothbrush handle to push the coating into the bottle. Just be careful not to break the neck. Almost any blunt tool will do the tricks.
However, it should be noted that once the cork is pushed inside, it is difficult to get it back. In addition, if the wine bottle is old, the cork can deteriorate and rot, or even shedding into the wine. You can use a strainer during the pouring process, directing the wine into the decanter to get rid of any residue, and in a moment, even pouring the wine through a coffee filter will clean up any stray cork crumbs.
Knife method
For this wine opening procedure, use a steak knife or a sharp serrated knife (a butter knife is not effective) and be careful. The goal is to gently pierce the base of the anchor and have a slight pinch. Place the blade across the edge of the cork, pointing toward the center. Gently press it down about eight inches, creating a secure grip on the mask that allows you to begin to peel it off by carefully moving it or twisting it in a circular motion.
Key method
When the push-it-in system fails and you don’t have any other tools or gadgets at hand, look at what you can always have: your keys!
Once the film is removed, insert the key into the center of the mask at a diagonal angle. Start a slight rotation, allowing the mask to come out little by little. Continue until the plug is fully exposed, holding it with your hand for a smooth extraction.
Read also:THE BEST WAY TO STORE CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE AT HOME
Shoe method
Use strong soled shoes to uncork your wine.
To open a bottle of wine with shoes, remove the foil, exposing the cork for what come next. The bottle should be placed vertically on the heel of the shoe, making sure that the bottom of the bottle is flush with the heel of the shoe. Next, find a strong wall to reduce the risk of an unexpected bottle accident. With one hand gently supporting the neck of the bottle and the other holding the toe of the shoe, always tap the heel on the wall and the cork will start to come out of the neck of the bottle. Once the cork has expanded enough to easily retrieve it, gently remove it from the glass (and don’t be afraid to use your fingers if necessary).
Choosing the right shoes is very important for this job: sandals or sturdy men’s shoes are good for this job. With their heavy padding, running shoes are not good, because they often absorb necessary impact to achieve the goal. Avoid high heels, which may not fit well: the bottle should be next to the wall for best results.
Avoid these methods for opening wine bottles without a corkscrew
Heating the neck of the bottle
Some people swear by holding a lighter to the neck of the wine bottle, heating the oxygen under the cap and causing it to expand, blowing the cap off the bottle. Even if this new method has sparked a real fire on the Internet, it does not guarantee success or safety: the risk of breaking the bottle is the main concern.
Banging the wine against a tree
For safety reasons, we exclude this.
Using a bicycle pump
Another method that rumored to work is to puncture your wine with the needle of a bicycle pump, passing oxygen through the cork and using air to force the cork into the bottle. However, none of our experts speak well of the bike pump system – and the internet seems to agree.
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