14 Feb How to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew

You’ve invited the lady to your home, cooked her the best filet mignon she’s ever had, and even researched the perfect red wine to go with the meal, a Cabernet Sauvignon.  But, for some odd reason, the bad luck ghost made away with your trusty corkscrew.  Don’t worry, you’re not complete SOL.  Not at this stage at least.

The Shoe Method

Everyone should have a reliable shoe with a sturdy, solid sole.  Simply place the bottom end of the wine bottle inside the heel of the shoe.  Find a hard wall (solid, not hollow – we don’t want to go into another article about repairing drywall holes).  A flat door frame might be your best bet.

Now tip the shoe and bottle horizontally.  Bang the bottom of the bottle through the heel of the shoe against your chosen surface in a controlled fashion.  The cork will slide out bit by bit with each bang enough so that you can twist the rest of the cork out safely.  Careful not to overdo it and break the bottle or pop the cork out entirely while the bottle is horizontal.

If you’re going barefoot, you could also wrap a towel or old t-shirt around the base of the bottle and use the same method.

And if that’s too much work, you could always just pop the cork downwards into the bottle of wine. It can get a little messy and sure, it’s not the most refined and sophisticated method, but it works and it requires no corkscrew or shoe.