Opening the Bottle
Written By: Matthew Apsokardu on Fri, Feb 27th 2009
Opening a bottle of wine is fraught with danger: What if the cork crumbles? What if you spill? What if—heaven forbid!—it’s a screw-top bottle: What then?
Fortunately, you have nothing to worry about. If your bottle is sealed with a cork, make sure to use a corkscrew that you’re comfortable with and that you’ve used before: No one wants to deal with the pressure of opening a bottle with a corkscrew that feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar in their hands.
The main rule here is to have a napkin or other hand-towel at the ready, and to not make a loud pop! sound when pulling it out: It may sound festive, but unless you’ve recently won a Grammy or national championship, it’s kind of tacky.
Finally, if the cork crumbles into the wine itself (not uncommon with old bottles), don’t freak out; it’s not the end of the wine world. Just grab a decanter and gently pour the wine into it (leaving a bit of wine and, hopefully, cork-bits, behind), or simply strain it through a new piece of cheese cloth. Whatever you do, don’t toss the wine: A little bit of cork never killed anyone.
