Using a Corkscrew

How to open a wine bottle without looking like an amateur

Most everyone who's used a corkscrew has had an embarrassing episode or two where a stubborn cork or rebellious handle simply refused to cooperate. Wine is often the playground of elitists, and nothing makes you feel as ignorant or unqualified to experience wine as not knowing how to use a corkscrew. With that in mind, here are a few simple tips for the corkscrew novice.

Foiled again

If you think using a corkscrew means just screwing into the cork and pulling, we've diagnosed your first problem already. The first thing you need to do before even using a corkscrew is cut the foil around the top of the wine bottle. This can be done with inexpensive foil cutters or a small blade attached to the corkscrew.

Make sure you cut all the way around the foil so that the cork is able to pull free when you finally do use the corkscrew. If you want to pull the foil off altogether after cutting it, so much the better.

Bury the worm

The actual metal screw portion of a corkscrew is called the worm. There are a few things you should know about worms that will make your corkscrew experience a lot easier.

Effective worms are going to be of a certain length and design. If you're using a corkscrew with a worm that is too short or too thick, you're going to have problems even if you're an expert. Corkscrew worms should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.

Take a look at the corkscrew worm before using a corkscrew. Corkscrews should have a hollow center that extends the full length of the worm. Cheap corkscrews have a metal rod in the center that extends the full length of the worm. Worms built like that are going to mangle the cork and make you look like an amateur, and that's what we're trying to avoid.

Showtime

Here's where knowing a little tip about using a corkscrew pays off. Many novices line the corkscrew up vertically with the wine bottle like they're drilling for oil or something. Don't do that. Angle the corkscrew to the side, and dig the tip of the worm into the cork so that it holds. Once that’s done, move the corkscrew so it's in line with the wine bottle, and continue turning.

A second mistake is putting the worm too far into the cork. Only screw it far enough to give you the hold required to pull the cork. Just because your corkscrew worm is three inches long doesn't mean you should bury the whole thing before pulling.

It's easier to judge this part if you have one of those corkscrews with a little forked prong that extends out the side. Set that prong against the edge of the bottle lip and use it as a fulcrum. You'll know you screwed the worm in far enough when the prong can rest against the lip; plus the extra leverage will keep your arm from flying up like a bull rider when that cork finally pries loose.

More information on corkscrews