How To Hold Two Bottles Of Wine In One Hand

Two Bottles Position

Another ‘superfluous’ skill that I picked up in addition to holding multiple wine glasses at the same time was the ability to hold two wine bottles in one hand.

Let’s say you have a large table of ten people, and you have to serve them either a red wine or a white wine. Rather than going to the table with one bottle first, pouring into their glasses, then going away to get the second bottle, it is far more efficient if you are able to go with both bottles and offer them at the same time.

In this post I will outline the basic technique necessary to perform this action. After a bit of practice, you’ll have another trick you can show off at dinner parties.

Disclaimer: this post is written for entertainment purposes only, and no responsibility will be taken for any spilt wine or broken bottles that may occur in the event of anyone attempting to imitate the material that follows.

Hand Position

Empty Hand With Napkin

First, fold up a napkin and sling it over your wrist. This will be useful later.

Next, arrange your fingers into three groups – the thumb, the index and middle, and the ring and pinky.

From the photograph above it looks like you are holding your hand in the shape of a pistol.

The First Bottle

Napkin With Red Bottle

Place the base of the first bottle, label facing out, onto your index and middle fingers.

The bottle should be leaning comfortably against your forearm, with the fingers acting merely as a base.

Your thumb is also supporting this bottle on the side to prevent it from tilting, as per the photograph below.

The Second Bottle

Place the second bottle onto the ring and pinky fingers. It should be resting on both your forearm and the first bottle.

Due to the positioning of the fingers, the second bottle should appear to rise slightly above the first bottle.

The photograph below should illustrate the final finger positions.

Two Bottles Finger Position

Pouring and Cleaning

So you have successfully positioned the two bottles in one hand. How do you efficiently serve either of the wine in this position?

In this example, if you are serving the red wine, grasp it firmly by the base with the right hand without changing the finger position of your left hand.

Napkin With White Bottle

Pouring Red Wine

Once you are done pouring, you should be able to wipe the neck of the bottle onto the napkin to clear any drips, before placing it back into the left hand.

Wiping Red Bottle

You should be able to perform similarly when pouring the white wine, with slightly altered finger positions from the above.

Final Notes

Keep your hand as low as possible, positioning the bottle as vertically as you can. If you lift your hand high enough, this will tilt the wine and may cause it to pour out of the bottle. Just remember to keep your hand below your crotch and you should be safe.

Wear a dark shirt, preferably black, because the neck of the bottle will always hold a few drops of wine no matter how much you clean it with the napkin, and holding the bottles in this position will increase the chances of them rubbing on the arm of your shirt.

Finally, don’t rush. It’s better to be slow and safe than fast and clumsy. Perform each action smoothly and you’ll be set for a good evening.