Pulling corks without a corkscrew - seven ingenious methods

Pulling corks without a corkscrew made easy - find out how here!

Opening a bottle of wine is often associated with exuberant celebrations, cozy get-togethers and moments of relaxation. But what happens if you don't have a reliable corkscrew to hand? Fear not, because in this guide we reveal how to pull a cork out of a wine bottle without a corkscrew.

Whatever your circumstances, a missing corkscrew shouldn't stop you from enjoying the delicious wine you're looking forward to. Whether you're visiting friends, on a cozy cottage vacation or simply faced with the unfortunate lack of a corkscrew, this text serves as a lifeline and gives you alternative techniques to finally open your beloved bottle of wine. Let's get started!

1. corkscrewing without a corkscrew: with the key

Pulling corks without a corkscrew using a key

The easiest alternative to a corkscrew is probably your bunch of keys. Front door or letterbox keys are ideal for opening wine bottles. To do this, place the tip of the key on the edge of the cork and push it in at a slight angle. In other words, so that the comb of the key bores into the center of the cork. Caution: This requires a little force. You can then simply unscrew the cork.

Buying wine with a screw cap

Want to save yourself the stress next time? No problem: we have some really good wines on offer that don't need a cork at all. Take a look here:

Leopard's Leap Classic Collection Chenin Blanc 2022 - White wine

€8,00 (€10,67 per l)

With its wonderful aromas of sweet melon and guava, Leopard's Leap Classic Collection Chenin Blanc will delight any white wine fan from the first moment....

• Manufacturer: Leopard's Leap
• Taste-Wine: dry
• Country: South Africa

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-3%

Allée Bleue Shiraz Rosé 2022 - Rosé wine

€9,95 (€13,27 per l)

The Allée Bleue Shiraz Rosé pours into the glass in a spirited pink hue and smells quite wonderfully of strawberries. On the palate, the rosé made from...

• Manufacturer: Allée Bleue
• Taste-Wine: dry
• Country: South Africa

No products with the selected options in stock

Garzón sauvignon blanc - white wine

€13,49 (€17,99 per l)

Bodegas Garzón produces with this Sauvignon Blanc an extremely fresh and lively ester of this grape variety. It shows the typical aromas of blackcurrant and...

• Manufacturer: Bodega Garzón
• Taste-Wine: dry
• Country: Uruguay

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2. pull the cork with a lighter

You can also get the cork out of the wine bottle with a lighter

This method of pulling a cork without a corkscrew not only looks impressive, but requires neither strength nor great effort. All you need is a good old lighter. For convenience, we would recommend a stick lighter.

First, remove the protective plastic or paper wrap around the neck of the bottle. Then place the lighter between the cork and the wine - in other words, in the area of the bottle neck where there is only the bare glass. Then circle the lighter around the neck of the bottle for at least one minute. The heat causes the air in the bottle to expand and the cork is simply pushed out.

Pro tip: Leave the opened bottle to cool briefly before serving the wine. Heat is an absolute aroma killer and can distort the taste of the wine.

3. open the wine bottle with a flat iron

Pulling corks without a corkscrew made easy: with a smoothing iron.

Same method, different tool: Just like the corkscrewing method with a lighter, you use the heat of the smoothing iron to heat the air underneath the cork and push the cork out of the bottle. Pulling corks without a corkscrew has never been so easy!

As with the previous method, the same applies here: Allow the bottle to cool briefly before pouring the wine into glasses!

4th corkscrew alternative: bicycle pump

Simple & ingenious - pulling corks with an air pump

Simple but ingenious! A quick trip to the bike cellar is all you need to pull the cork without a corkscrew. All you need is a classic floor pump. Simply push the pointed end of the pump into the cork. Then pump slowly but regularly at first. The resulting overpressure causes the cork to literally pop out at you!

5th handyman method: pulling wine corks with nails

With a few nails, you can pull the cork out of the wine bottle without a corkscrew.

Even if we associate most craftspeople with a good bottle of beer, there must also be wine connoisseurs among them. There is no other way to explain how this cork-pulling trick came about.

Admittedly, this method is not exactly the most straightforward. But should you ever find yourself in a situation where you have nothing but a bottle of wine and a toolbox in your hand - here you go: you need three nails and a claw hammer (those are the ones with the long slot on the back). Similar to the key method, drive the three nails from the edge of the cork diagonally towards the center of the wine stopper. Now carefully pull out the cork using the back of the hammer.

Pro tip: Sometimes it is easier to hold the cork and then turn the bottle. Try out what works best for you.

6. pulling corks without a corkscrew: with a screw

Pulling a cork without a corkscrew - with a screw

This method of pulling a cork without a corkscrew is also more for handymen and do-it-yourselfers, but it is certainly feasible. Here you can make your own corkscrew.

Turn the screw into the cork, possibly with a screwdriver. You can then use pliers or a fork to slowly pull the cork out of the bottle. If necessary, the screw can also be pulled out with your hands and a fair amount of force.

7. opening a wine bottle with your shoe

Not for the faint-hearted - opening a wine bottle with a shoe

Admittedly, this corkscrew alternative seems a little crude. However, in addition to ingenuity, sometimes a little roughness is also required.

First, wrap your bottle in a towel to protect it. Make sure that the top of the bottle is exposed. Then place the bottle straight in the opening of your shoe. Now tap the bottom of your wine shoe firmly against a wall or the floor. Make sure you keep a steady rhythm. The resulting negative pressure ensures that the cork slowly but surely moves out of the bottle.

To avoid a wine stain debacle in the last few meters, pull the cork out by hand as soon as it is about halfway out of the bottle.

Those were our seven methods for getting a wine cork out of the bottle without a corkscrew. Now nothing stands in the way of a cozy evening.