Date

[Thomas]

If you haven't the confidence or experience always best to rest the bottle on a table. Provided you use a corkscrew and not the cork puller (which I do not like, but that is another story) you simply plant the bottle on the table, hold the neck with one hand, insert the corkscrew at the center of the cork with the other hand (after you have removed the capsule) turn, clockwise, until you reach the last screw and then you have a few ways to pull up the cork, each depends on the type of corkscrew.

If you use a so-called waiter's corkscrew (my favorite) you rest the movable bottle opener end on the lip of the bottle, hold it down with the hand that holds the bottle neck, and slowly but steadily pull up on the handle of the corkscrew.

If you use one of those twist things with a wing that rises as you turn, you then pull down on the wing and the cork is supposed to rise up.

If you use the handy pocket cork screw--don't.