Cocktails - Videos

How to open a bottle of wine like a pro

Ray Isle, Senior Wine Editor, Food & Wine

1. a blade (often serrated)

2. a bottle opener/lever

1. Use the knife end to cut around the base of the capsule (the metal part) and pop off the metal cap of the wine bottle.

3. a screw

Opening the bottle:

2. Insert the tip of the screw at an angle, with the point digging slightly into the middle of the cork. This helps prevent you from hitting the side of the wine bottle.

3. Then put it straight in and begin turning the corkscrew while pointing the opposite end straight up so you can place your hand over the top.

The corkscrew:

Ray demonstrates opening a bottle of wine with a traditional waiter's corkscrew, which has three main parts:

4. Twist the corkscrew in until you can use the first notch of the bottle opener against the side of the wine bottle and push up. Twist more till you can reach the second notch or end of the corkscrew and use this notch or end against the top of the bottle to pull the rest of the cork out.