How to Enjoy Champagne

Prepare, Open and Pour the Champagne

• Practice to obtain the confidence and skill to open and serve a bottle of champagne for a big occasion. The main steps include: chilling; removing the cork; pouring; and drinking.

  Like many beverages, Champagne is best enjoyed at a cool temperature. Pour it from the bottle at 43 to 48 degrees F or 7 degrees C. If your bottle isn't that cool, chill it by placing it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

  Pull off just enough foil to reveal the cork. The cork is protected in a wire cage. On the side of that cage, you will see a section of the wire twisted into a little handle. Pull that handle away from the side of the cage and untwist the wire. Be careful as you do so, and point the cork away from yourself and other persons--there's a reason that wire is there. The cork can erupt at any time now, so keep a tight hold on it. Then, grip the cork firmly with one hand, and use your other hand to twist the bottle slowly and smoothly--remember, twist the bottle, not the cork. You want the cork to emerge from the bottle with a gentle sigh.

  Selecting your glass deserves a little bit of consideration. There are two classic types of Champagne glass: the coupe and the flute. The coupe was designed to allow the greatest surface area for the release of bubbles, which lowers the ultimate quality of the glass. The flute, on the other hand, captures the bubbles and ensures that they are released more evenly across the life of the glass. Whichever you choose, clean it with only water and not soap, which can interfere with the bubbles and, of course, the taste. And consider using a crystal glass. The surface of crystal is rougher than ordinary glass, which stimulates more bubbles in your Champagne.

  Once your glasses are selected and in place, hold the bottle by placing your thumb into the dimple at the bottom of the bottle, which is known as the "punt," and splay your fingers across the barrel of the bottle. Though this grip appears precarious, try it and you'll see that you can retain a firm hold. Grasping it thus, wipe the rim of the bottle with a napkin to remove any dirt, and then pour a small splash into the bottom of each glass. Then return to each glass and fill it two-thirds full with Champagne.

  Before you drink in any Champagne, take a quick look at the color of the liquid and the form of the carbonation. The ideal hue of Champagne is a light amber, and the better Champagnes release their bubbles in near vertical lines with uniformity.