- Last updated on October 28, 2022
How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew?
Let’s be honest, we all have found ourselves in the situation where we had to open a bottle of wine and we either forgot or didn’t have a corkscrew with us.
What we didn’t know at the time, or at least I didn’t for sure, is that there are various ways, most of which are simple and safe, to get to drink our deserved glass of wine.
We’ve listed below five simple ways to do that. I hope you’ll find them useful.
Keep reading if you want to find out:
#1 - How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Pump it out with a bike pump
This’s a fun, easy, and safe way on how to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew.
Attach the needle to a bike bump, pierce the cork with it all the way through so that the air from the pump can enter the bottle.
Pump the air in the bottle, and “ta-da” the cork will pop out from the air pressure.[1]
Ah, please please please, wash the needle properly before starting the process.
#2 - How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Take it out with keys
This is another way on how you can open a wine bottle without a corkscrew.
The idea here is to insert your car key or any other pointed keys deeply into the cork at a 45-degree angle.
Once in, you rotate it whilst simultaneously pushing upwards slowly.
You’ll see that after a couple of rotations the cork will come out.[2]
#3 - How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Use your toolbox
A homemade way, yet a very effective way, is to use a long screw, inserting it deep enough in the cork with a screwdriver.
Let approximately an inch left showing. You can now remove it with the backside of the hammer.[3]
#4 - How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Wooden spoon or Ballpoint pen
Here goes the forth methods on the series “How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew?”
The idea here is to push the cork within the bottle using the handle of a wooden spoon or ballpoint pen, or something similar.
I’d recommend you then pour the wine in a decanter or a clean bottle using a filter or strainer so you can keep your wine clean in case the cork breaks.
#5 - How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Towel, Book, or Shoe
What if you don’t have your toolbox, car key, wooden spoon, or a bike pump at hand? Don’t worry there’s still hope!
Do you remember MacGyver? Great, you can pull it off by using your shoe, a thick towel, or a book! Yeah, that’s right.
Now, there’s a reason why I put in 5th position, it’s a bit riskier than the other methods so please be careful.
Make sure you either use a thick towel (or even two) or a rigid-bottomed shoe. Do not apply full strength here, you’ll risk breaking the bottle.
Towel: Wrap the bottom of the bottle with the thick towel, and thumb it gently and repeatedly against the wall until the cork is nearly out.
Then manually remove it. Just be careful not to break the bottle.[4]
Book: Place the bottom of the bottle on the book, holding the bottle against the book, tap it against the wall until the cork is nearly out.
Then manually remove it. Please be careful not to break the bottle.[5]
Shoe: Similarly to the Book, place the bottom of the bottle in the shoes where your heel usually is. Holding the bottle against the shoe, tap it against the wall until the cork is nearly out.[6]
Then manually remove it. Again, please be careful not to break the bottle.
In Conclusion
By now, if someone asks “How to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew?”, you should confidently know the answer.
As we’ve seen, there are various ways practical and easy to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew.
With the above “methods”, you’d be able to always have your deserved glass of wine.
Even in the case you are at the beach with a towel, book, or a shoe, with some effort and caution you can still make it.
Feeling thirsty or are you simply after some recommendations for the best wines you can find right now? Check out our best wine buying guides.
