1. Examine the cork.
If the cork has broken due to improper corkscrew use, treat the broken cork as if it were whole. If the cork is pushed too far into the bottle, push it all the way in using any long thin implement and proceed to “With a Very Dry Cork,” step 5, below.
2. Reinsert the corkscrew.
Six half turns of the corkscrew will usually be enough to allow you to remove a full cork, but you may need fewer for a partial cork. Turn the corkscrew slowly to prevent further cork breakage.
3. Pull the cork out.
Pull up steadily on the corkscrew, being careful not to jerk the cork out of the bottle. If the cork remains in the bottle, go to “With a Very Dry Cork,” step 2, below.
With a Very Dry Cork
1. Check for crumbling.
If the cork is soft and powdery, it will not offer the corkscrew enough resistance. It may also be stuck to the sides of the bottle, making intact removal impossible.
2. Bore a hole through the center of the cork.
Use the corkscrew as a drill.
3. Widen the hole.
Wiggle the corkscrew from side to side to increase the diameter of the hole.
4. Try to pour.
If the wine will not pour, continue to enlarge the diameter of the hole as above, or force the remainder of the cork into the bottle (see “How to Open a Bottle of Wine Without a Corkscrew,” page 32).
5. Make a filter.
Place a piece of clean, unwaxed, unbleached cheesecloth over the mouth of a decanter and secure it tightly with a rubber band. If no cheesecloth is available, use a coffee filter (preferably unbleached). Do not use a T-shirt or any article of clothing you have washed in detergent-the detergent can affect the taste of the wine.
6. Strain the wine.
Carefully pour the wine through the filter into the decanter. When the bottle is empty, remove the filter containing the pieces of cork from the mouth of the decanter and serve the wine.
