What should I do if a cork gets stuck in the neck of a wine bottle?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
While I was opening a bottle of wine, the whole cork got pushed down into the neck. It didn’t break, and it isn’t floating in the wine—it’s just stuck! The cork is just out of reach of any of my corkscrews. What can I do?
—Gayle, Milwaukee, Wis.
Dear Gayle,
Hopefully the wine will be worth all the fuss! A stuck cork is rare, but it’s happened to many a wine lover, including me. Happily, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting your wine out of the bottle. There are two ways to do so: Push the cork into the bottle, or pull it out.
Believe it or not, pushing the cork all the way into the bottle is the easiest approach. Don’t worry about the cork affecting the taste of the wine—they won’t be in contact for very long anyway. I’d recommend using the handle of a spoon, a chopstick or anything else that will fit to gently push the cork in.
Once the cork is in the bottle, you may have a little trouble pouring out the wine (and tiny bits of cork could be floating around). If you want, you could decant the wine into a different container—just pour the wine while using your spoon or chopstick to keep the cork out of the way for a smoother pour. You can use a coffee filter, clean cheese cloth or fine sieve to separate out the cork bits. (This is also a good trick if you find yourself facing a crumbly cork.)
If you’d rather pull the stuck cork, here’s a trick one of my earliest mentors taught me. It works whether the cork is floating or stuck in the neck. Get a piece of string—something sturdy but narrow, like kitchen twine. Tie a few knots into one of the ends. Then carefully—with the help of a thin paring or fruit knife—push the string past the cork. Remember that corks are flexible in all directions, so you should be able to slide it past.
Then, pull the string slowly and firmly. The knots should grab the cork and allow you to pull it out from there. If you want to see what this looks like, you should be able to find some videos online that demonstrate the technique. Good luck, and enjoy your hard-earned glass!
—Dr. Vinny
