5 More Ways To Open Wine Without A Corkscrew

Bottle of wine, no corkscrew... no problem.

Really, there are more ways than you might imagine to open a bottle of wine sans the traditional tool. We recently profiled five popular methods that included everything from the oh-so-trendy "shoe method" to a technique that involves a screw, a screwdriver, and a hammer.

But for those of you looking for additional tricks, here are five more techniques to brush up on should you find yourself in a desperate, corkscrew-less, I-need-to-open-this-bottle-of-wine-now situation.

1. With a coat hanger

There are actually a couple different ways to attack this method. One, you can flatten out the hook of a hanger and wrap it around the shaft of a screwdriver to create a makeshift corkscrew that you can use just as you would a traditional one. Another trick involves straightening out the hook and then making a new small hook with the last half inch of the wire (skip to 0:55 for the demonstration). Push the wire between the cork and the bottle neck until it is below the cork, turn it so that it presses into the bottom of the cork, and pull upwards. Easy as that. 

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2. With a syringe

Opening a wine bottle with a hypodermic syringe? If your reaction is something along the lines of "Ew, gross!" chances are you're not alone. Still, there are people out there who have attested to having had success with this admittedly odd-sounding method. If you dare, here's how it works: Use a clean (obviously) large-bore syringe, stick it into the cork, and then pump air into the bottle until the cork pops out. If you're in a bind and have to resort to this technique, perhaps just excuse yourself to the kitchen so that whoever you're sharing the wine with doesn't get too freaked out.

3. With a phone book

This technique should be familiar to anyone who has ever experimented with the "shoe method": Remove the foil from the bottle neck and carefully pound the bottom of the bottle against the wall with phone book in between as a buffer. Should you find yourself without a corkscrew, wearing heels or flip flops, and have an old phone book lying around (because honestly in this day and age what else are they really good for?) this low-tech method is the way to go.

4. With an Ah-So tool

For the uninitiated, the Ah-So is a small tool with two flat prongs, one slightly longer than the other, that are attached to an oval handle. Check out the video above for a demo — it doesn't even require that you pierce the cork. Essentially the prongs get wedged between the cork and the bottle and, once secure, you use it to twist the cork right out. True, it's something that you would have to have handy, but if you're a gadget-minded wine geek this is a good tool to invest in (it only costs about $5-$7) should you misplace your fancy corkscrew(s).

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5. With a serrated knife

Although it doesn't involve breaking the bottle in a Champagne sabering kind of way, this technique still comes with a cautionary disclaimer. Ideally you're looking for a thin knife here that is going to fit between the neck of the bottle and the cork. Once the blade is wedged between the cork and the bottle neck slowly wiggle the cork back and forth, twisting the bottle slightly around as you gently pull upwards.

Haven't seen the first five ways yet? Click here to check it out.