Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
WE HAVE ALL been there. We’ve asked people around for a few New Year’s drinks, bought in some nice wine bottles that we thought had a screw cap but actually, no, they are corked. And wouldn’t you know it, your corkscrew is nowhere to be found. D’oh!
So how do you get into your bottle without a corkscrew?
This rather brilliant video from Mirabeau Wine shows how you can open the bottle using just your shoe — and there is no need to send shards of glass everywhere, either.
For those of you who can’t watch the video, here are the steps:
All you need is one shoe with a fairly thick sole and heel, a sturdy wall, and, of course, a bottle of unopened wine.
Place the bottom of the bottle inside the shoe, on top of the heel.
Bang the heel of the shoe against a sturdy wall multiple times.
Quickly, the cork should work itself most of the way out. From there, just use your hands. Voilà!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ingenious………
,,, but as every student knew in my day, you just wrap a towel around the bottom of the bottle and tap it against the door frame. Won’t even affect your deposit on the digs as it won’t mark the paint :-)
Or buy wine with a screw cap
Or just shove the cork in with a finger (unless you have nails)…
No more corked wine.
My last ‘know-all’ contribution this year…Actually “corked wine” is wine that has soured because the corked seal has failed, allowing air in. It doesn’t actually refer to bits of cork getting in the wine!
By the way, I wouldn’t try that technique with champagne, cava, prosecco etc., that is unless you want a fool-proof way of getting away with killing your missus!
I’d like to know how someone found out that worked and what they were thinking when the first tried it.
I am soooo going to use that one.
I’ve two bottle openers. Actually three if you count my better half. Still guna give this a go.
And the Nobel prize for ingenuity goes to this man. Absolutely brilliant!!!!!
Brilliant. Especially at parties. No one can ever find the cork screw.
I can see the a & e now. Lines of people wearing 1 shoe and a broken wine bottle in der hand……..
And what about the video when the bottle smashes, you get soaked in wine, cut your hand and look like an unmerciful tool in front of everyone at the party!
Hate when the cork start’s to fall to bits and even a cork screw doesn’t work. Had to use a six inch screw and a pliers one time.
Here’s how to open a btl of beer with a banana… http://youtu.be/FU-s9uEakAc
17 seconds of my life that I’ll never get back, actually about 30 since I had to type this to warn others not to bother clicking on your stupid link.
That’s some MacGuyver shit right there!
and there was me banginn down next door for a loan of a corkscrew, NEVER AGAIN!!!
Just use your sword like most gentlemen, quick swipe is all it takes :-)
Amazeballs
It’s amazYballs. Havent you heard?
Ha, thanks….also I just opened a bottle of wine at the dinner table. To say my family was a little puzzled is an understatement.
A spiked garden railings is a great way to open the ould can of dutch Gold when the pesky ring pull falls off ;-)..
Happy New Year all.
Going to try that shortly… Bet it doesn’t work with synthetic corkscrews…
Fantastic.
We don’t need bottle openers any more!
Happy New Year to all
A load of Cobblers!!
……is what you’ll need for your shoes!
I seriously could have done with this last night
And thinking I managed to get it done once or twice with screwdriver, but much more awkward and risky to do than this. Thanks :)
Seen this about 2 years ago. Cutting edge from the journal yet again.
I use a thick branch and push the cork into the bottle?
have your say