If you’re a wine lover, you know you should always have a corkscrew on hand to help you open a new bottle effortlessly. At some point in your life, however, you may find yourself with a great need to open a bottle of wine but no corkscrew. Maybe you’re at a friend’s house, having a picnic, or on vacation somewhere and this happens to you. Before you have to go wine-less or resort to the unthinkable – forcing the cork into the bottle – we have a few suggestions for you to try first!

Screw + Screwdriver + Hammer = Win(e)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so pretend you have a corkscrew by using a few household tools! Find a long screw (the longer the better), a screwdriver, and a hammer. Stick the screw into the cork, and then use the screwdriver to push it in further until you can see about an inch of the screw. Next, grab the hammer and use the claw to pull both the screw and the cork out of the bottle. Voila – your bottle of wine is open!

Pump It Up

Have a bike pump close by? Snag it, stick the pump into the cork, and start pumping! In time you’ll force air into and through the cork, which will create enough pressure to make the cork slowly move out of the bottle. Pretty nifty trick, right? We thought so, too.

Twist It Out with a Key or Knife

Got a serrated knife or a car key on hand? You can use one of these tools to help you wiggle the cork out of the bottle! Push either item into the cork at a 45-degree angle and start moving it carefully around in a circle while pulling upward. After a few rotations, the cork should twist free!

Grab a Towel and Hit the Wall

If push comes to shove, you may have to resort to a more drastic measure. Grab a thick towel or two, wrap up the bottle of wine, and bang the covered base repeatedly against a wall. Keep going until the cork starts moving out of the bottle, then set it down safely and yank the cork out. Be careful when doing this, though – you don’t want to wind up shattering the bottle!

Slap It Out With a Shoe

If you’re afraid of damaging your wall, grab a chair, snag a shoe, wrap the bottle in a towel, and get to work on freeing that cork from the neck. Turn the bottle upside down, hold it tightly between your legs, and hit the bottom of the bottle evenly with the flat sole of your shoe. Just keep an eye on the cork and stop before it comes all the way out, otherwise you’ll have an entirely different problem on your hands.

Try Slicing It Off

Drinking champagne or sparkling wine and feeling a little daring? You can try slicing off both the cork and a bit of the neck with a trick called sabering (or sabrage). Done with a sword, saber, or even a spoon, this technique is usually reserved as a last resort (or for really skilled people). If it’s good enough for Alton Brown, it’s a good enough tip for us!

Once you have your bottle of bubbly open, it’s time to raise a glass and make a toast to your hard work! Next time, remember to keep both your trusty corkscrew and a bottle or two of Chaumette’s delicious wine on hand! We make celebrating life’s victories so much sweeter. Order your next favorite bottle of wine from Chaumette Vineyards & Winery here!