Top 10 Ways to Open a Bottle of Wine Without a Corkscrew

Important: have you successfully used one of these methods? Let the world know just how awesome you are, and see if any of your friends can say the same!

No time to read? Wine emergency? We take those very serious. Tell us which of these tools you have available and we will tell you which option is best for you.

INDEX

Knife (Easy there..)

Or picture this…

It’s a wonderful spring day, birds are chirping, and you have taken the love of your life out to a wonderful picnic in the park because you had to make up for that fight the other day. Let’s face it, they were being idiots and couldn’t be more wrong. However, once again we have decided to be the bigger person and make an effort to resolve things. And drink some wine in the process. We are good people. But then…

You sit down on the knitted blanky your mother in law gave you last Christmas only to discover you’ve thought of bringing the wine – duh – but left the corkscrew at home. Now what? Going back to not speaking to your better half for the next couple of days? Hmm, that doesn’t sound too awful. But since we’ve actually decided to be the bigger person here it’s time to think on our feet. So what do we do?

Well, wouldn’t you like to know? Because let’s face it: you’re lost.

But don’t panic just yet.

Because with the Avina guide ‘Opening Bottles The Hard Way’ we have put together the global top 10 ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew and then indexed it by category. We told you, we take wine emergencies very serious.

So quick, let us know what you have lying around and we will point you to the right way for you!

Looking to browse all options to get some inspiration? Simply scroll down.

1) Using a screwdriver, screw and hammer – Firstly remove the foil capsule from the top of the bottle, drive the screw in to the cork using your screwdriver, then simply remove the cork by using the back of the hammer, easy right? Take a look at the video guide here.

2) Scissors – Wikihow.com make this method look rather easy. Simply open the scissors as wide as they go, pop the thinner of the two blades into the centre of the cork and twist the scissor handles while pulling up at the same time, simple!

3) Blowtorch – Fancy trying something a little more exciting? Whip out that blowtorch and off you go. Simply heat up the neck of the bottle, the space between the wine and the cork, and POP!! Watch that cork fly right off, phew! Follow Jeff Rhino Bannister and his guide here:

4) Lighter – Alright, that might have been a little too much excitement. We tend to get carried away. But for this one we’ve toned it down a bit and it seems more applicable for regular folks such as ourselves. All you need is a simple lighter and you’re good to go. Have a look:

5) Heated Tongs – According to the Business Insider this is ‘the coolest way to open a bottle of wine.’ This method is an old-world tradition, in which the tongs are heated on an open flame before being placed around the neck of the bottle for a minute or two and then, with a little help, the top of the bottle comes clean away from the bottom, very cool! This method originated in Portugal as an alternative to opening very old bottles of wine with corks that had begun to crumble from age. See how Jonathon Ross, a Sommelier at Eleven Madison Park does exactly that here.

Ok, so these are all wonderful methods, as long as you have access to the right tools. But what about if you find yourself on that romantic picnic in the countryside without a corkscrew?! No problem, method number 6 has got you covered;

6) A shoe and a wall – Now come on, we all have these to hand, right? Simply take off the foil capsule surrounding the cork, pop the bottle of wine into the heel of the shoe and then bang it firmly against a wall (or a tree trunk) until the cork comes out enough for you to finish off by hand, and enjoy!

7) A Spoon – Yes, even a simple, seamingly harmless spoon can be a lethally effective tool in the right hands. Take off the head of any wine bottle by following the instructions in this video:

8) A Key – While we wouldn’t recommend trying this with the key to your getaway vehicle, it does seem like a method that makes sense. The serrated end of a key would be able to get a good grip on the cork and with the right amount and angle of leverage applied, this should work. What do you think?

9) A Knife – This video was uploaded by ‘CrazyRussianHacker’. Need we say more? Disclaimer: we are not to be held responsible for any lost fingers.

10) A Swiss Army Knife – If you’re lucky enough to have a Swiss Army Knife with you, but unlucky enough to have it be a version without a corkscrew, than this one is for you:

So, whatever your predicament, wherever you are, there is always a solution to that age old problem of how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. Infact, even if you do have a corkscrew, some of these sound fun, right? Time to grab the wine and see what I can do.

Can you think of someone who could use these tips? Make sure you share this article with them using one of the options below.

On the other hand you can avoid this problem completely, by treating yourself to a beautiful new corkscrew. Either way, enjoy!

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