OptionalHigh confidenceStandard, well-understood barware.
Corkscrew
A tool used to remove corks from wine and sparkling wine bottles.
What it's for: Opening corked wine and sparkling wine for wine-based cocktails.
Don't have one?
A proper corkscrew is hard to truly substitute. Driving a screw into the cork and pulling it out with pliers is a common improvisation, but it's fiddly, doesn't always work cleanly, and risks pushing the cork into the bottle.
No impact on the finished drink — only affects how easily the bottle opens.
Buying guidance
A waiter's-friend style corkscrew with a foil cutter and a hinged lever is compact and reliable.