Champagne is a celebratory drink, and it’s meant to be enjoyed with friends and family. There’s nothing quite like popping open a bottle of bubbly and enjoying a toast. But if you don’t know how to open a champagne bottle properly, you could end up with a mess on your hands. This blog post will teach you how to open champagne like a pro!
Chill The Champagne Bottle Before Opening
The champagne or sparkling wine bottle should be properly chilled to around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If it isn’t cold enough, the pressure inside the bottle will cause the cork to release very quickly. That’s when you get a geyser and a dangerous projectile.
There are several ways to chill a champagne bottle before opening it:
- Place the champagne bottle in the fridge for a few hours. This is the simplest way to chill the champagne, and it also allows you to control how cold your champagne gets.
- Place a towel-wrapped bottle of wine into an ice bucket, then add water and ice cubes around it until they reach just below the neck of the bottle. You can also use this method with any other container that has an opening wide enough to fit the bottle in.
- Place a towel-wrapped bottle of wine into a cooler and fill it with ice cubes until they reach just below the neck of the bottle. This method will keep your champagne cold longer than if you put it in an ice bucket, but it’s also more work because you have to lug around a cooler.
- Place the champagne bottle in a freezer for about 45 minutes, then remove it and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes more before opening. This method is best used when you want to chill your champagne quickly without having time to refrigerate it beforehand (e.g., if guests are coming over).
- Place the champagne bottle in a bucket of ice water for a few minutes. The water will cool down faster than the champagne and provide an even cooling effect throughout. Remember, if you’re using this method and your bottle has a foil wrapper around its neck, make sure not to get that wet. This will compromise how good your champagne tastes!
- Use a special bottle chiller to keep your wine or sparkling wine at just the right temperature for drinking pleasure! Just pop it into place, plug in any standard outlet (such as one on your wall), and you’re all set up with chilled bubbles whenever you’re ready.
- Wrap the champagne bottle in a wet towel and place it in the freezer for a few hours. This will quickly cool the champagne, but it’s not recommended because you can easily damage the bottle.
- Put some ice cubes in a large bowl and place the champagne bottle in the bowl. This will cool the champagne, but it will take a little longer than some other methods.
Take Your Time When Opening the Bottle
No matter how you’ve chilled your champagne, always take your time when opening the bottle. You don’t want to rush and end up with a geyser or dangerous projectile. Hold onto the cork with one hand and use the other to twist off the bottle cap.
Remove The Cage Around The Cork
If there is a wire cage around the cork, remove it now. Some people like to keep the cage on while they open the champagne bottle, but we think it’s better to take it off so that you don’t end up with bits of foil or wire in your glass.
Hold The Bottle At a 45 Degree Angle
Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle and slowly ease out the cork by twisting it counterclockwise while gently applying pressure to the top of the bottle (you can also use two hands if you need more leverage). Make sure not to shake too much champagne into your glass when removing the cork.
If you hear a popping noise when removing the cork, it means that the champagne has been over-chilled, and some of the gas has escaped from the bottle. This isn’t a problem, but it does mean that your champagne won’t be as fizzy as it could have been.
Pour Champagne Into Glasses Or Flutes For Drinking
If you’re serving your champagne in flute glasses, make sure to pour slowly so that the champagne doesn’t foam up too much and overflow. You don’t want any of your guests spilling their bubbly on themselves!
Slowly pour the champagne into a glass or flute at a 45-degree angle to reduce foam.
Use an ice bucket if you’re serving more than one bottle of wine or sparkling wine, as this will keep them chilled for more extended periods (i.e., throughout an entire meal). It’s a good idea to have a separate ice bucket for each type of beverage you’re serving (e.g., white, red).
Enjoy Champagne!
Now that you know how to open a bottle of champagne like a pro, you can enjoy your chilled bottle of bubbly with confidence!
What Not To Do When Opening a Champagne Bottle
There are a few things you should avoid when opening a champagne bottle:
- Do not shake the bottle before opening it. This will create more carbonation and could cause the cork to fly out.
- Don’t remove the foil or wire cage from around the cork until you’re ready to open the bottle.
- Do not use a corkscrew to open the bottle. This can damage the cork and could cause it to fly out.
- Do not use a knife to pry the cork out of the bottle. This can also damage the cork and could cause it to fly out.
- Don’t try and open the bottle with your teeth.
FAQ
How to open a champagne bottle without popping it?
If you want to open a champagne bottle without popping it, you can try warming it up in the microwave for a few seconds before opening it. You can also pour some room-temperature water over the cork and then twist it out slowly. Another option is to use a champagne opener – these can be found at most wine or liquor stores.
How do you open champagne without making a mess?
If you want to open a bottle of champagnes without any fuss or hassle, you can try pouring a little bit of room-temperature water over the cork and then twisting it out slowly. You can also use a champagne opener – these are available at most wine or liquor stores.
How to open a champagne bottle quietly?
If you want to open a bottle of champagnes quietly, try pouring some room-temperature water over the cork and then twisting it out slowly. You can also use an ice bucket if possible.
How do you open champagne with a towel?
After removing the foil from around the cork:
- Use your hand to cover it.
- Hold on tight and twist off the cap by turning it in circles with both hands until it comes loose (about one full rotation). You can also use a dishcloth or paper towels instead of your bare hands if you prefer.
- Just make sure the towel is wet before trying to open the bottle!
Can you re-cork champagne?
It’s not advisable to try and reseal a bottle of champagne once it has been opened. Once the cork has been removed, it’s essential to drink it all within a day or two. Otherwise, the champagne will oxidize and won’t taste as good.
Final Words
There are many ways how to open a champagne bottle without messing it up, but the most important thing is not to shake it before opening it. You can also buy an ice bucket or use room-temperature water and twist the cork out slowly if you want your champagne chilled with no bubbles. If you’re serving more than one bottle of wine or sparkling wine, make sure that they have been appropriately chilled beforehand so as not to over-chill them when pouring into glasses at 45 degrees Fahrenheit for best taste results!