What do you do when you find yourself in the predicament of desperately needing to open a bottle of wine and you don’t have a corkscrew, and the bottle is not a screw top?  Several of the major wine publications have invested time and effort to find reasonable solutions to this problem. I will present those that I feel are not too farfetched, are fairly safe and hold a realistic chance of success.   However, none of these methods are as reliable as using a corkscrew and could result in breaking the cork, chipping the wine bottle, or in a worst-case scenario, breaking the wine bottle.

This list of potential solutions is presented in no particular order.

Screw, Screwdriver and Hammer

Take a screw (minimum 1 ½ inches long) and screw it into the cork with a screwdriver until there is about an inch or so left showing. Then, you take the claw side of the hammer, lock it under the screw, and pull the cork out.

Push the Cork into the Bottle

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, Sharpie, highlighter or other object that is slightly smaller in diameter than the cork, push the cork down into the bottle of wine. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to remove the cork from the bottle once you push it in. If the bottle of wine is old, the cork may crumble and shed into the wine once pushed in. If this happens, use a strainer, coffee filter or sieve and pour the bottle of wine through it into a decanter to remove the cork pieces.

Wire Clothes Hanger

This method is relatively easy as long as you have an unused wire hanger taking up space in your closet.  However, in our house the wire hangers were replaced with plastic hangers years ago.   

To begin, bend the tip of the hanger about 30 degrees back so that it looks similar to a fishhook. Next, slide the wire down through the cork slowly until the hook is past the cork and into the wine. Rotate the wire 90 degrees so that the hook is underneath the cork. Then pull the wire up and the cork should release. Pliers can be used instead of your fingers to tug at the hanger.

Keys, Scissors or a Serrated Knife

This method is somewhat similar to the first option where a screw and hammer are used. However, this time plunge your keys, scissors or serrated knife into the cork at a 45-degree angle and move the top of the item in a circle, essentially twisting the cork out slowly. After several rotations the cork should come out. Make sure you really get the tool well into the cork otherwise the cork may crumble.

The Sole of a Shoe

Wrap the bottom of the wine bottle in a towel and place it upside down in between your legs while sitting and slap it with the sole of a shoe. Stop before the cork comes all the way out or the wine may end up all over you and the floor.

Tire Pump and Sports Ball Needle

Take a bike pump that has a needle attached that is used to inflate a basketball, football or volleyball and push it all the way through the cork where the needle reaches the air space between the cork and the wine. Then pump air into the bottle. As air is pumped in, the cork should slowly move out of the bottle due to the air pressure.

Final Thoughts

As long as you are careful and take your time, any of these alternatives should work.  However, in my opinion nothing is better than a tried and true corkscrew, if one is available.

Sláinte mhaith