How to Serve Champagne

I always say that Champagne and other sparkling wines should be enjoyed often, not just for special occasions. Sparkling wine is delicious all on its own but is also a fantastic wine to pair with food so don’t rule it out! Once you have your bubbly picked out, make sure to have it nice and chilled before serving. Nobody likes warm bubbles. Also, make sure you don’t shake the bottle around before you open it or you will have quite a mess on your hands. Keep in mind that the cork is under pressure and quite capable of harming someone nearby, so be careful!

Here are my quick tips for getting those delicious bubbles into your glass:

Champagne and other sparkling wines need to be well chilled before serving. Chill in refrigerator for up to 3 hours before serving or alternatively in an ice bucket with water for 30 to 45 minutes (known as a quick chill). Never chill your sparkling wine in a freezer. You could have a messy explosion on your hands!

To open the bottle, unwrap the foil casing by either using the tab (which rarely works) or better yet, by cutting it off with the knife of a wine key. It doesn’t really matter how you get the foil off. The goal is just to get to the wire cage underneath.

Cover the top of the bottle with a serviette cloth while placing one thumb over the cork. Twist the loop to loosen the cage, 6 and ½ turns. Remember, your thumb should remain over the cloth and cork on top!

Tilt the bottle 45 degrees over your shoulder down BEFORE removing the cork. If you keep this angle, once you open the bottle, the bubbles will rarely overflow.

While holding the cork firmly with one hand, while keeping your thumb on top, twist the whole bottle at the base with the other hand to loosen the cork. The pressure will push it out with a “poof”. Try to avoid the “pop”. Tilt the bottle back upright with a towel over the opening and wipe around the mouth of the bottle.

Slowly pour the Champagne into a flute (the best glass and shape to retain the bubbles) until the foam reaches the top, without spilling over. Once the bubbles drop, pour a second time to fill the glass.

Sip and enjoy!