As cinematic and celebratory as it may seem to noisily pop a cork and spray frothy bubbles, few of us actually want to waste wine or clean up that aftermath. Fortunately, it’s easy to learn how to open a bottle of Champagne without losing a drop (or dodging projectiles).
Here are four steps (along with some alternatives) to open a bottle of Champagne or any bottle of bubbly like a pro.
Step 1: Chill Your Champagne Illustration by Eric DeFreitas
The proper temperature for serving Champagne is 47–50°F, according to Comité Champagne, France’s official Champagne bureau, though others prefer drinking Champagne at 50–54°F to accentuate its richness.
Either way, a well-chilled bottle is vital for both flavor and function. But note that well chilled does not mean refrigerator temperature, which is usually below 40°F.
“Warm bubbles are agitated bubbles, so Champagne that’s too warm will almost always vigorously spew out of the bottle,” says Davon D. E. Hatchett, a wine writer, wine law attorney and content creator. “Properly chilled bubbles typically remain calmer—and therefore remain inside where you want them.”
Hatchett goes one step further and wraps a cold towel around the neck of her bottle right before she opens it.
“The cold glass of the neck creates a temperature barrier that keeps the pressure in the remainder of the bottle more controlled,” she says, so it’s less likely that any bubbles will escape through the neck when you pull out the cork. “The last thing I want
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
