For many of us, there isn’t a better time at a party and a gathering than when a bottle of wine is opened, the wine flutes fly, there’s plenty of merriment to be had, and the wine usually tastes great too.
All in all, a great time to be at a party. That is, of course, if you can open the bottle in the first place!
Whilst there are many different types of tops to bottles that can vary from winery to winery, the type that you will most often run into is a classic cork in the bottle’s neck.
Should be easy enough to open, especially with a good bottle opener, right?
Well apparently not, if the number of people that seem to struggle and fail at using one of these simple tools is anything to go by.
To be fair, a cork in the bottle can be a tricky thing to get out.
It is certainly one of the most fiddly, especially when it is you who is trying to open it!
Fear not, however, for we have come with the solution to this brief moment of embarrassment that seems to creep into every party.
First things first, before you even consider pretty much every other step in this process, you’ll want to find yourself a decent bottle opener in the first place.
Several types of bottle openers can be found on the market these days.
From the classic bottle cap openers that are a mainstay of pretty much every household to the corkscrew types of openers that are used for bottles of one.
As you can imagine, it is this type of opener that you will be waiting for this situation.
However, keep in mind that many bottle openers these days are often multi-tools, meaning that you can often get both types for the price of one.
They do tend to be a little large, especially when compared to models of each separate opener, so keep this in mind if you always want to have a bottle opener on your person.
Select Your Wine Bottle
Now that you have your bottle opener, you can move on to the next step, which will be the tastiest option: Finding your wine of choice!
There are a few different types of bottle tops that your wine will likely be contained in.
These are some of the most common kinds of wine bottle seals that you will find, and may not even need a bottle opener!
Champagne-Style Corked Bottle
This is probably the most iconic type of way to seal a wine bottle.
We’ve all seen this type, whether at a gathering on screen: The muselet is removed, the cork is twisted slightly, and out it pops!
The pressure that is held in these bottles is what gives champagne the signature pop, and very rarely requires a bottle opener, if ever.
Screw Cap Bottle
This is a bottle cap that works in the same way as many other liquid containers.
All you need to do is unscrew the cap, and you’ll be good to pour one out.
This just requires a little strength from your hands and wrists, and that’s it, no opener required.
Still Wine Cork
This is the type you will be dealing with if you need a wine opener.
To stop the wine from spoiling, a cork is placed in the neck of the wine bottle, keeping it airtight and free of bacteria and other things that might ruin it.
However, with no pressure to ease the cork out on its own, this is where you will need your bottle opener.
Remove Foil
Now that you have your bottle and your opener for it, you will first need to take the foil off the top of your wine bottle.
For most bottles that need a bottle opener, the wine is sealed behind both a cork and a layer of thick foil to both hide the cork and keep it in place.
Many bottle openers will come with a small serrated blade that can be used to take the foil off, so make use of it here.
Be careful with it, as it will likely be sharp enough to cut your hand!
Time To Corkscrew
Now comes one of the trickier steps of this process: Twisting the cork out of the bottle.
Place your corkscrew in the center of the cork that you can now see under the foil, and apply a little pressure as you start to twist it.
Make sure that you do not go past three-quarters of an inch into the cork with your screw, as getting it out will become much harder.
Notch Your Opener
We are now entering the last and trickiest part of the process: Getting the cork out!
In the best-case scenario, many corks will come out of the bottle if the corkscrew is deep enough in it.
However, as we mentioned, going too deep in can be its problem. So if it isn’t coming out, it is time to use your notch.
On your wine opener, there should be a notch with a smaller end to it. Place it around the tip of the bottle, and use it as leverage to pull out.
With this, you should be able to get the cork halfway out. After this, you can then attach the longer end to the bottle tip to remove the rest.
Final Thoughts
Once you have enough leverage, pulling out the cork will be a cinch.
And that’s it! Once you know how this kind of bottle works, removing it is surprisingly simple! Now it’s your turn to be the helping hand!
Hi, I’m Rachel Edwards and I enjoy a glass of wine as much as the rest of them. Well, maybe slightly more.
My parents own a vineyard in Napa Valley and were constantly making new wines for the locals to try. Their brand was one of the most popular across the US at one point. My sister and I loved running up and down the vines, picking the grapes for our parents, and even helping with the ideas.
Since moving out of the family home, my love for wine has not waivered - in fact, I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur. I’m always the one to bring the wine to our girly gatherings, family meals, and picnics - let me know what we’re doing, and I’ll supply the goods.
