Whatever your level of knowledge in oenology, any tasting of a good vintage begins with opening the bottle. And it’s not always an easy task! Depending on the corkscrew or habits, there are several techniques for opening a bottle of wine easily . Let's discover the different methods, with or without a corkscrew.
Open a good bottle using a corkscrew
The wine lover's toolbox necessarily contains a corkscrew . This essential accessory makes opening very quick and easy, you still need to know how to use it.
Steps for opening a bottle of wine
Opening wine bottles is not as simple as it seems, and the primary goal is to prevent pieces of cork from falling into the wine. Whatever the corkscrew model, the opening always takes place in 4 steps:
- Remove the cap : On most wine bottles, the cork and neck are protected by aluminum film and a cap. So that’s where it all starts. Using the blade integrated into the corkscrew (capsule cutter), simply make an incision below the ring, all around the neck, to easily remove them;
- Place the corkscrew : for the cork to come out easily, you must position the tip of the twister in the center of the cork , and vertically. Do not hesitate to push it down a little so that it no longer moves when you start turning the tool;
- Insert the corkscrew : to easily insert the corkscrew into the cork, simply turn it on itself, remaining vertical. Its hook-shaped stem sinks effortlessly until it reaches the center of the cork;
- Remove the cork : If your corkscrew has arms, simply lower them to raise the cork. If it doesn't have one, take the bottle in one hand and the corkscrew in the other, and pull gently.
Good to know: be careful not to push the corkscrew all the way into the cork, otherwise you risk dropping pieces of cork into the wine.
Some additional tips for removing bottle caps
Wine consumers always fear breaking the cork when opening. To avoid this, the ideal is to equip yourself with good equipment. There are several models of corkscrews , and while they all work very well, you should choose the one that suits you best. You then have the choice between the sommelier knife, the lemonade knife, the T-shaped corkscrew, or the De Gaulle corkscrew (with arms)...
Then, practice will do the rest and allow you to uncork any bottle in the blink of an eye!
You really can't do it? Then opt for wine bottles with stainless steel screw caps . For white wines and rosé wines, this type of cork does not alter the quality of the wine. On the other hand, for red wines and Champagne, the cork has the advantage of letting a little air pass through and thus allowing better aging of the wine.
Moreover, the question does not arise with the bottle of Champagne, since the Champagne cork pops quite easily, by simply moving it a little in the neck with the force of the hand.
Opening a good bottle without a corkscrew
Do you want to enjoy a good bottle of wine, but you don't have a corkscrew? Fortunately, there are simple tips for removing those famous corks without too much effort and without a corkscrew.
Push in the cap
When you don't have a corkscrew on hand, you might as well use the laws of gravity and physical forces. To do this, do not try to remove the cork, but rather push it into the bottle . It's not very conventional and real wine lovers will look askance at you, but this technique works well. All you have to do is find a small, clean tool (pencil, spoon, etc.) and push the cork so that it falls into the bottle.
Be careful, by doing this, the air and wine contained in the bottle risk escaping forcefully when the cork falls. Better to be careful not to get stained.
Use a nail and a screw
For this second technique, you must have pliers, a screw and a screwdriver. Then, simply push the screw into the cork using the screwdriver. Once inserted halfway up the plug, the screw must be removed with the pliers . Logically, the cap will come with it!
Use a flat shoe
Even less conventional, but still very effective, the shoe technique is also very fun in the evening. Simply place the bottom of the bottle in the shoe, at heel level, and press the shoe against a wall. Hold the bottle firmly, and start to jerk it against the wall. With a little patience, you will see the clog slowly dislodge.
Use a blowtorch or lighter
Our last method consists of heating the air contained in the bottle , so that it pushes the cork outwards. In fact, hot air is always lighter than cold air, and therefore rises along the neck. Then take a lighter, or for those who are more in a hurry and adventurous, a blowtorch, and place the flame under the cap.
Be careful, however, not to apply this technique on a cold bottle, as there is a risk of the glass exploding.
With all our tips for uncorking a bottle of wine with or without a corkscrew , you will never again be afraid of spoiling a good wine. All you have to do is equip yourself with a good sommelier corkscrew in our online store.
