How to Open a Bottle of Wine Properly

One of the most satisfying parts of the wine industry is getting to pop the cork when ready to consume a new bottle of wine. With the advancement of technologies and clever designs, wine openers now come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of assisting features that makes opening a bottle of wine a breeze. But the main design you choose to go with all comes down to personal preference. Some people like the $1.99 cork screw that can be purchased in the wine section of any store, while others prefer the rechargeable electric model that takes all effort away from the person opening the bottle. There is no correct wine opener on the market as they all should get the bottle open. 

The opener that I am very familiar with is the Wine Key also known as the Waiters Corkscrew. This wine opener can include a small serrated blade that makes it easy to remove the wine capsules which will allow you to expose the cork. This model also has an easy two step design that requires minimal effort and removes the cork in whole. Here is how to properly open a wine bottle using this opener. 

Step 1: Cutting the Foil

Using the serrated tool cut away the aluminum foil exposing the cork. You can cut at either lip of the bottle but make sure to cut the foil as clean as possible. Not all bottles have foil, so you might be able to skip this step.

Step Two: Screwing into the Cork

Set the bottle at a 45 degree angle if opening in the air, otherwise, place the bottle on a table. Using the screw, screw into the cork making sure you stop once the screw is firmly in place with a single screw notch exposed. The screw should gently slide into the cork, don’t force it or risk damaging it.

Step 3: First Hinge

Using the upper bootlever and place it on the lip of the bottle firmly holding it in place with one hand as to eliminate the chance of it slipping off of the bottle neck. Gently pull up on the lever and the cork with the other hand and it will begin to rise out of the bottle.

Step 4: Second Hinge

Once the cork is as far as it can go with the first bootlever, place the second boot on the lip of the bottle and pull the cork fully out of the bottle. 

Step 5: Enjoy!

The only logical 5th step is to pour yourself a glass and celebrate your accomplishment of successfully uncorking the bottle! Now you’re a pro!

There are so many aspects of consuming wine that are enjoyable. Being able to properly uncork a bottle easily is definitely one of them. Try using this method of uncorking a bottle using a wine key on one of AJA Vineyards many delicious wines. We thank you so much for your support and hope you have another week of  happy tastings. 

Now, why didn’t we use an electric opener? We’ll, like we said, that’s the personal preference of our proprietor! 

There are many devices that can pull corks out, but the wine key is always the safest bet. It’s the easiest to clean, cheapest to purchase, best to keep in random places around the house, and when I’m not using it for wine, the knife really helps me open up new cases of wine! – Amanda Greenbaum

Cheers,  

Braden