Opening Wine: Popping the Top and Keeping Yours

Like a good haircut or stylish shoes, the way you open a bottle of wine says a lot about you. Do it quickly and easily and you look worldly and sophisticated; struggle with the cork and you risk losing face, as well as spilling wine on the tablecloth or your own shirt.

There are three basic steps to opening a bottle of wine. Before you begin, first make sure that you're using a high-quality corkscrew. Having the right tool will make opening wine bottles immensely easier. In this tutorial, we'll use a simple corkscrew known as a waiter's or captain's corkscrew. The steps are essentially the same for winged corkscrews and larger table-mounted tools. Step 1: Removing the Foil Many years ago, this metal cap used to protect the cork was made of lead. When lead was discovered to be poisonous manufacturers switched to a different metal alloy or, occasionally, plastic.

Using a sharp knife, cut around the top of the bottle far enough below the opening so that there will be no metal touching the wine when you pour it. If wine touches the foil when it is poured it could oxidize and ruin its flavor.

Step 2: Inserting the Corkscrew
With the bottle on a flat, hard surface at mid-chest level or lower, hold the opener vertical and twist the corkscrew into the cork clockwise using even, downward pressure. Twist the corkscrew about an inch into the cork, taking care that you don't pierce all the way through to ensure that pieces of cork don't fall into the wine.

Step 3: Removing the Cork
With the corkscrew firmly inserted into the cork, position the bottle opener end of the corkscrew on the edge of the bottle to act as leverage as you pull the cork out gently. Before serving, wipe the opening of the bottle with a clean, damp towel to remove any pieces of cork or foil that may be left behind.