I get asked the question all of the time, how do I go about uncorking wine? My answer depends. Are you doing this at home or in a restaurant?
If in a restaurant, you have to work on not just how to uncork wine, but your wine presentation. If you are at home your biggest concern will be not to bruise the wine, or otherwise effect its flavor.
Not a reader, well here's a video of me that shows you how it's done:
If you're in a restaurant, you'll want to bring the wine out, undisturbed. Don't drop, set it down, or otherwise cause the wine to be jostled. This can cause bruising. A bruised wine's flavor will be effected and it can take months to recover.
Next, bring the wine out with a corkscrew and present it. For those of us on the other side of the bottle, it is our job to read the label, ensuring it is the proper vintner, vintage and varietal or blend. If not, let the waiter know and they will remedy the problem.
Uncorking wine before presenting it is not ok. This is to ensure another wine has not been poured into the bottle and that the wine was not bruised when the cork was removed.
Then, you will cut the metal casing over the corkscrew. This should be done under the second lip. This ensures the metal will not effect the flavor of the wine.
Carefully, insert the cork until the beginning of the fourth turn, or one turn short of the end for most corkscrews. This will keep you from forcing through the cork, and depositing cork into the wine.
But will also keep you from going too shallow, causing the cork to break. This is especially important with older wines, because cork can become brittle and more likely to break.
Slowly, using the first lip on your lever, begin removing the cork.
Once you've reached the end of that motion, reset for the second lip and lift until the cork is close but not removed.
Removing a cork should always be done by hand. This prevents the cork from popping and bruising your wine. I know sounds silly, bruising the wine, really? Just wait until you ruin a great wine and it remains sort of hollow and never fully develops. Money wasted and good wine down the drain. It really does happen.
Present the cork. I love to smell the cork but you are just looking at it to see if it is wet, or if the cork is dry on both ends.
If the cork is dry, the wine may be ruined because the wine was not stored properly on its side.
If the cork is wet on both sides, the cork has failed and the wine is spoiled. Both of these may indicate oxidation.
If the cork is approved, pour about an ounce into the host's glass. They will tilt, swirl, sniff and taste. If it is good, pour wine for the rest of the party, finally filling the host's glass.
On the other side of the glass, we are checking to make sure that the wine doesn't smell like vinegar or wet cardboard. If it smells like vinegar, it has been oxidized. If it smells like wet cardboard, it has been corked (a cork spore has infected the wine).
Unsure, ask the waiter or sommelier. I have never done this, but it is considered acceptable. It is not acceptable to send back a wine just because you don't like it.
That's it.
If it is you at home with friends, while presenting the bottle might amuse you, it is just for the laugh. I would hope you haven't poured a different wine into the bottle. So, just be sure you're carefully uncorking the wine, the last bit being by hand and test it before serving.
Enjoy and I hope this answers all of your questions about uncorking wine! If not, leave a comment below. I love answering questions and would love your feedback.
