The Riddle that Stumped Patrick

Without getting to "into" too much, I'll just say this, and you all can take it for what it's worth: accept people the way the come; broken, pretentious, shy, annoying... or else just don't talk to them.

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I went out to dinner with Patrick tonight, and over dinner I asked him a riddle. It took him a while to figure out (and in the end, he got close and then I just had to explain it to him). This is the riddle that stumped Patrick.

You have an empty wine bottle, re-corked. There is a thread going through the cork and hanging into the empty bottle. Hanging from the end of the string is a ring. (the material of the ring is of no consequence). You have to get the ring to touch the bottom of the inside of the wine bottle. You may not touch the bottle directly or indirectly. (You can't touch the bottle with your hand, or fling anything at it and hit it, or cause anything to touch it).

When Patrick heard the answer, he was annoyed, because it's really quite simple. Good luck! (Comment your guesses/questions. I'll post the answer in a bit).