Buzz
Picture yourself on vacation, stopping by a local liquor store to grab a bottle of wine before heading back to your hotel. You’re enjoying a late-night hangout with friends and decide to crack open a bottle of your favorite wine. Or perhaps you're picking up a bottle for a first date at a BYOB restaurant. These scenarios sound perfect—until you realize there's no corkscrew in sight.
Don’t worry! There are actually a few ways to open a wine bottle without one, and some of them can be quite entertaining. Here are some techniques you can try to get that bottle open and keep the evening going smoothly, as if you were pouring a glass without a hitch.
Use a Power Drill
It’s pretty much the same as using a screw and hammer, but arguably more enjoyable and definitely simpler (assuming you have a power drill). You simply drive the screw into the cork using the drill, and then pull it out with ease. Watch the demonstration above to see just how effortless it can be.
Give It a Smack (Best for Sparkling Wines)
To open a bottle of wine, simply smack it against something solid a few times. This technique works best with sparkling wines, as the bubbles create enough pressure to pop the cork out. You can also use this method with regular wines if you're determined. Just cushion the bottle in a shoe and bang it against a wall, as shown. Check out our guide on the smacking technique for more tips.
Use a Lighter
Hold a lighter to the neck of the bottle to heat the air beneath the cork, causing it to eventually push out. Move the lighter around the neck to evenly heat the bottle (this helps avoid overheating one spot on the glass). Be cautious with the hot bottle afterward, but revel in the satisfaction of your makeshift scientific experiment.
Try Using a Hair Straightener
If you have a hair straightener on hand, it works similarly to the lighter method. Just like with the lighter, you'll want to move the straightener back and forth and up and down, but focus on directing the heat under the cork as much as possible. It may take a bit of time, but eventually, the cork should pop out.
Use a Key
To uncork a bottle, you can insert a regular key at an angle, then rotate and pull on the key simultaneously. After some effort, the cork will rise high enough that you can grab it and remove it completely with your hands. (We have a more detailed guide here for further instructions.)
Cut It Out (Sort Of)
While you don’t actually want to cut through the cork, a knife can be used here. This technique is quite similar to the key method, so whether you use a knife or key depends on which is more readily available. Insert the knife at an angle and twist and pull until the cork is free.
Air It Out
If you don’t have a corkscrew but happen to have an air pump nearby, you're in for a bit of fun! Insert the needle of your pump between the cork and the side of the bottle, and begin pumping air slowly. Take your time with each pump, one at a time, to avoid accidentally popping the entire bottle.
