How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Food & Drink Editor
Open a Bottle of Champagne
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It takes some skill to open a bottle of Champagne so that the bubbly ends up in the flutes and not all over your guests.
Remove the foil from the cork.
Untwist the wire restraint securing the cork.
Wrap the bottle's neck and cork in a dish towel.
Take hold of the cork with the towel and gently untwist.
Continue untwisting, or hold the cork in place and twist the bottle itself.
Slowly ease the cork out of the bottle's neck. Listen for the pop and pour.
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Comments
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Champagne does not go bad or flat quickly. I am not a sommelier, but champagne seems to keep its bubbliness for up to a week after refrigerating it. I have tried this with and without a stopper and without a stopper works best.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The wire surrounding the cork is called the "cage." When you untwist the cage, it will always take 6 half turns to take the cage off (no matter what sort of bubbles it may be). Test it out...It's an interesting fact to share with guests when opening your bottle of bubbles. Take the cork out very slowly so that it hisses; never pop the cork. Otherwise you will lose some of those fantastic bubbles.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Here is information I personally gathered from the Association des Producteurs Champenois as well as other wine specialists and sommeliers.
- No matter how you close your bottle after the first opening, Champagne loses its taste significantly after one day. So if you like it really good, drink it up while it's time.
- The teaspoon trick is an old tale, but does not seem to have any effect whatsoever.
- When you open a bottle of Champagne, try to prevent as much of the pop as you can from happening. Releasing the pressure too suddenly breaks the molecular structure of the champagne and disrupts its true flavor.
Then again, after a few glasses, hardly anyone can still tell the difference.:)
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 If you don't get through your bottle of champagne, place a metal teaspoon handle first into the neck - it will keep the fizz.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The best way to keep your leftover bubbly bubbly: Invest in a cheap little champagne stopper - anything that fits tightly over the neck (like a vacuum) or anything that fits neatly inside the neck so that no air gets in is the best way.