How to open champagne correctly?

Champagne or sparkling wine (the name depends on the method of production, region and regulations) is an amazing drink that has a rich history and has been associated with celebration and magic for many years.

In order not to overshadow any celebration, you must, of course, have the skills to work with this product - one wrong move can result in injury to yourself or those nearby.

How to open champagne with a corkscrew

Bottles of sparkling wine are opened without using a corkscrew, since the pressure generated inside the bottle serves as a kind of lever for the dynamics of removing the cork.

The only professional device you can find is champagne tongs.

Some bottles are difficult to remove, especially bottles with plastic caps, so champagne tongs can make uncorking easier. These pliers have miniature nippers, which, if you have problems removing the muzzle, help you cut through the wire and expose the cork. Next, the cork is grabbed with tongs and rocked, being removed from the bottle.

How to open champagne without shooting

First, chill the sparkling wine. The serving temperature for sparkling wine varies from 7⁰С to 10⁰С. This can be done for a few hours in the refrigerator or using a champagne cooler with ice. Chilled sparkling wine opens better, and drinking such a drink is much more pleasant. Popping the cork can usually occur if the champagne is warm or if it has been shaken well before opening.

First you need to remove the shrink cap (foil) that covers the stopper and metal wire. Almost all bottles have a tab that, when pulled, removes the foil very easily.

Next, you need to hold the cork on top with your thumb and untwist the muzzle (a thin metal wire), then the muzzle is removed.

A bottle of sparkling wine is held with both hands at an angle of 45⁰C, the neck of the bottle is directed away from yourself and other people into empty space.

One hand holds the cork, placing the thumb on top of the cork (to hold it), the other holds the main part of the bottle.

Next, you can open it with gentle circular movements. Maintaining an angle of 45⁰, the cork must be twisted counterclockwise, and the bottle clockwise. Then, when the cork begins to come out, it must be held and controlled. According to dining etiquette, the sound when opening a bottle of champagne should be minimal - it should not be a pop, but rather a light whisper.

After uncorking, you need to wipe the neck of the bottle with a clean cloth (handbrake), and you can start pouring into glasses.

How to open champagne with a saber

An emotionally and visually striking technique for opening champagne is sabrage. Came to us from the time of the impulsive hussars and their love for champagne. The fact is that previously the muzle was made not of thin wire, but of massive metal, which caused many difficulties when opening. Therefore, the brave hussars simply tore off the plugs along with part of the neck.

Nowadays, such a visual technique can be seen in social media trends and at major events.

How to make sabrazh

Sparkling wine should be well chilled. It is necessary to remove the foil and muzelle. Next, place the bottle on one hand at an angle of 45⁰. The neck must be directed into free space, since when opened, the cork can fly out several meters. The saber (in fact, it can be any object that has a flat base: a knife, the lower flat part of a glass on a stem, a power bank or a hatchet) is located in the second hand. The back of the saber should slide along the wall of the bottle to its neck quite smoothly, but impulsively, and, literally, in 3-5 movements the cork should fly out along with part of the neck. This is a pretty bright way to open, but you need to remember about safety!

How to open champagne if the cork is broken?

Most bottles have a cork stopper, which can break when opened. In this case, there are several options for how to extract it. The main thing is to never look into the cork while placing the bottle near your face, because at any moment it can fly out under pressure.

You can shake the bottle well and the cork will fly out on its own, the main thing is to point the neck into the empty space away from you. You can also use a corkscrew , screw it into the rest of the cork, and, similar to the principle of uncorking a bottle of wine, pull it up. If you don’t have a corkscrew at hand, and the cork still breaks, at home you can use a screw-in screw and pliers in the same wayincipu. In fact, there are an incredible variety of life hacks for opening champagne, but if you follow the above recommendations, then there should be no problems with removing the cork.

How long does opened champagne last?

The shelf life of an open bottle of champagne is short, but it can be increased by using a special device in the form of a stopper , which creates a certain seal inside the bottle and preserves carbon dioxide bubbles. With such a stopper, the bottle can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.