Serving Champagne

Opening a Bottle of Champagne

Serving champagne is somewhat of a ceremony in itself and worthy of a few preparations.

Unless you are christening a ship, there should be no loud noise made while opening a bottle of champagne.

The proper way to do it is as follows: Remove the foil around the cork. Untie the wire basket and remove it. Hold the bottle in a 45° angle, cover the cork with a towel and start carefully turning the cork. You will notice that the cork will start to slowly slide out of the bottle neck.

Champagne Glasses

During the Belle Époque people used to pour champagne into flat wide-mouthed glasses. These glasses were eventually replaced by flutes. Today the connoisseur recommends a tulip shaped glass. This shape not only keeps the bubbles from escaping but also conserves the bouquet of the wine.

The Right Temperature

First, make sure the wine is at the ideal drinking temperature. Champagne releases its finest aromas at temperatures between 46°F and 50°F (8°C and 10°C). To chill champagne in a manner that respects the quality of the wine and keeps it at the right temperature, place the bottle in a champagne bucket half filled with water and ice cubes for about twenty minutes. If there is snow outside, use it to fill the ice bucket.