In restaurants, the wine server makes opening a bottle look so graceful.
But there are plenty of us who wind up just pushing the cork in. You've certainly got lots of openers to choose from.
Consumer Reports has tested electric corkscrews. You simply put the corkscrew on the bottle and push a button to remove the cork. Push the button again and the cork is released.
To test these newfangled devices, Consumer Reports opened nearly 100 bottles with both real corks and synthetic ones.
The testers found an electric opener from one touch was noisy and bit a slower than the others.
But two worked well. They take just a few seconds to remove the cork.
"These are good for anybody, but they're especially good for anyone with limited hand strength or who has trouble using a regular corkscrew," explained Adam Kaplan of Consumer Reports.
They are the corkscrews from Oster and Emerson and cost around $25. Both have a rechargeable battery and they come with a foil cutter.
You may not turn into a sommelier. But at least you won't break any more corks.
If you don't like the thought of getting one more electric gizmo, there are plenty of other gadgets.
Consumer Reports tests found continuous turning corkscrews like one from Screwpull are a very good option. They're easy to use: you just keep turning and turning in the same direction.
It's almost too easy and just under $30.
More wines are also coming with screw caps -- in many different styles.
Screw caps have pros and cons. There is less spoilage -- good for the store -- but the screw cap doesn't breathe a little like a cork.
"There will always be some cork," says Kaplan. "The top producers will always use cork because it allows the exchange of oxygen in and that helps in the development of the wine itself."
While more of the popular wines we drink may opt for a screw cap though if you want to impress your friends don't call it a screw cap -- call it a Stelvin enclosure.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
