How to open an old bottle of Port

Choose an opener before you start

If fragile corks are a regular problem, a combined opener is worth considering. A waiter’s corkscrew can still work well when the cork is sound enough to grip.

Get the bottle ready

Stand the bottle upright before opening so sediment can settle. Have a clean decanter, a funnel and some clean, unscented muslin (a fine cotton cloth) ready. The decanting guide covers settling and pouring.

Put the bottle on a firm, level surface. Remove the foil or plastic covering below the lip and wipe the top clean. With hard wax, carefully clear the wax covering the cork with the corkscrew knife, then brush the loose pieces away. You need a clear rim for the opener. There is no need to heat the bottle.

Check the glass around the mouth for chips or cracks before fitting an opener.

With a normal corkscrew

A waiter’s corkscrew is the folding sort with a screw, a small knife and a lever. It lets you control the lift. Start the screw in the centre and turn it slowly, keeping the bottle still. Give the screw a firm grip in the cork before using the lever. Follow the instructions for your opener.

Lift gently in stages, keeping the cork as straight as you can. If the screw spins without lifting, pulls a plug out of the middle or starts tearing the cork, stop. Repeatedly drilling the same weak centre can leave you with crumbs and less cork to grip.

With a two-prong opener

The two blades slide between the cork and glass. Use this method while the cork is still secure in the neck; a loose cork can be pushed into the bottle.

1. Slip the longer blade down one side of the cork, then start the shorter blade on the other side.
2. Ease the blades down with a gentle rocking movement. If the cork starts sinking, stop pressing.
3. Once the blades are seated, hold the bottle firmly and turn the handle while lifting slowly.

Use a light touch. If it takes force to insert the blades, pause and check the fit and the cork rather than driving them further down.

With a Durand

The Durand has a screw with a stabilising bar and a separate blade handle. Its manufacturer gives this sequence:

1. Turn the screw into the cork’s centre until its bar rests on the cork or bottle top.
2. Insert the blades on opposite sides of the bar, starting with the longer one.
3. Alternate pressure between the blades until their handle meets the bar.
4. Grip both handles together. Hold the bottle still and slowly twist and lift the cork.

These instructions are specific to the Durand. It is for natural corks in necks about ¾ inch (19 mm) across inside; do not use it in a narrower neck or on other stoppers.

If the cork breaks or falls in

Pause before trying again. If a solid piece remains secure in the neck, a suitable two-prong or combined opener may help. If it is loose, stop pushing blades down; if it is crumbling, another turn of the screw may only break it up further.

If cork pieces fall into the wine, pour through a funnel lined with clean muslin into a clean decanter. Let any disturbed sediment settle before pouring, then watch the neck and stop as the deposit approaches. Avoid paper coffee filters, which can introduce unwanted smells or flavours.

A cork falling into the bottle does not automatically ruin the wine. Decant it, catch the fragments and check how the wine smells and tastes.

Does a broken cork mean the wine is corked?

No. Cork crumbs and cork taint are different problems. A wine affected by cork taint can smell musty or like damp cardboard, with its fruit aromas dulled. Straining out pieces of cork does not remove that fault.

What about Port tongs?

Heated tongs open the bottle by breaking the glass neck. The IVDP reserves this method for professionals. For home opening, use a suitable cork opener.