Top Tips for Opening a Wine Bottle

There’s nothing worse than trying to serve wine at a party, dinner or other type of gathering only to find yourself unable to get the bottle open. Here are a few tips to help you expertly open any wine bottle and what you can do when things have gone wrong.

Buying a Wine Opener

A waiter’s corkscrew is one of the most versatile tools you can have for opening a wine bottle. This is a hinged corkscrew with a spiral “worm” on one end and a lever on the other. The lever helps to extract the cork more easily. A thinner worm is much gentler than a thicker one, especially when it comes to dealing with potentially vulnerable or crumbly corks.

When purchasing a corkscrew, buy one or two extras. Having a few backups can come in handy if you misplace one or if you encounter a problematic cork.  

Uncorking a Wine Bottle

Many wines are finished with a cork covered in either a plastic or metal capsule. To open a corked bottle, remove the top of the capsule. This makes it easier to remove the cork and reduces the likelihood that a weak cork breaks apart. Then use your corkscrew to remove the cork.

Once the cork is out, pour a small taste to assess the condition of the wine. You can smell the cork if you choose, but tasting the wine will give you all of the information you need.

Popping Champagne 

Champagne and sparkling wines also have cork closures. They are a bit different than other types of wines and don’t require a corkscrew to open. You do need to use caution when popping them open though as the wine is under pressure.  Before opening a bottle of bubbly, make sure it’s chilled and settled. When you’re ready to open it, remove the foil and aim the bottle away from yourself, others, and breakables. Next, put your thumb over the capsule, loosen the wire, and turn the bottle gently to slowly release the cork.

 While many people enjoy the loud pop of a champagne bottle opening, it’s not the safest method. Instead, a gentle hiss is preferable, as the cork is less likely to get loose.

Alternatives to Corks

Corks aren’t the only wine closures anymore. Twist caps are becoming increasingly more common. These caps are simple enough, requiring you to only turn the cap to crack it open. Glass toppers are another type of closure you can find on several types of wines. Since the topper is under the capsule, you might not even know that it’s glass until you get the capsule off. These toppers are easy to remove as well.

Problematic Cases

Broken Cork

Cork break before the entire piece was removed from the bottle? Insert your corkscrew at an angle into the remaining portion and gently work it out.

Crumbling Cork

If you have a cork that’s fragile or crumbling apart, do not force your corkscrew into the center. Instead, use a two-pronged wine opener and a gentle hand. It may take a few minutes, but it will help you avoid getting cork bits in your wine. 

Loose Cork

Forcing a wine opener into a loose cork can shove the cork into the wine. Use a waiter’s corkscrew at an angle to get better control and more easily open your bottle.

The last thing you want when serving wine is to be unable to get your bottle open. These tips can help you to easily open any bottle and manage cork issues like a pro.