Opening Wine Bottles Properly

Let's set the scene a little. You are having a romantic evening with your significant other, and you have everything. You have the food, the music, the atmosphere, and even the perfect bottle of wine. But then you remember something, you don't exactly know how to open the bottle. Luckily, opening wine bottles properly is a rather easy thing to do. But it does need to be done properly, or you may find yourself with a rather expensive bottle that you no longer can drink. Simply follow the directions listed here, and you will soon know how the correct way to begin opening wine bottles properly.

With a corkscrew:

1. Choose the corkscrew. While any corkscrew will work, if you are careful, there is one type that makes opening wine bottles properly a snap. That type of corkscrew is called a double-action, or wing, corkscrew. Not only does it have the corkscrew, but it also has these nifty arms that help get the cork out.
2. Remove the foil. Use the sharp end of the corkscrew to cut the foil or lead capsule that is around the rim of the bottle. If you are using a double-action wine opener, you will need to make sure that the arms are upright before doing this. Make sure that you get all of the foil or led off before proceeding.
3. Place the bottle flat. Place the bottle of wine on a flat, hard surface for stability. You want to use something that is no higher than midway up your chest, and the perfect height is your typical countertop.
4. Hold the bottle properly. Hold the top of the bottle and the lower end of the corkscrew with one hand, and make sure that they are as straight as possible. As you are lowering the corkscrew, make certain that you get the sharp end as close to the center as you possibly can. This will reduce the chances of the cork breaking later on.
5. Turn the screws. Slowly begin to turn the handle of the corkscrew clockwise. Use as much pressure as is needed, but make sure that it is applied as gently as possible to avoid breaking the cork. As you are turning the handle, you should notice that the arms are slowly coming up on the corkscrew. Keep turning the corkscrew handle until the arms are completely raised, or the screw has gone all the way into the cork.
6. Press the arms down. Place one hand on each arm of the wing corkscrew, and begin pressing down. Do this gently to avoid breaking the cork, but the cork should come straight out.
7. Grab the corkscrew. Once the corkscrew has been mostly removed, grab the base of it and pull straight up. This helps ensure that you get the corkscrew out, while also making sure that no wine is splashed anywhere.
8. Twist and wipe. Remove the cork from the corkscrew by twisting it off, and then wipe the rim of the bottle clean. Make sure that you use a damp towel when doing this to ensure that you get any stray pieces of cork, foil, or lead that may still be on the bottle.