Sparkling wine is a mystery. Champagne, one of the provinces of romantic France, has long been the birthplace of the drink. White and pink champagne are given to us unique taste and a joyful mood. Champagne is often called divine drink. And quite justifiably. Even opening a bottle on a holiday is a kind of ritual, the observance of which will lead to the enjoyment of taste and the joy of guests. And it will avoid fatal consequences.
What affects the ease of opening champagne?
Let's open the bottle correctly: with or without cotton?
Is it better to uncork a bottle with or without cotton? In a cheerful group of young people, perhaps everyone will speak in favor. Noisy, cheerful, bright. And only a couple of girls will cover their ears. But champagne connoisseurs are sure: you need to open it gently and quietly. The cotton should sound like a whisper loving girl, and not a salvo from a cannon. To do this, wrap the pre-chilled bottle in a cloth or towel. Tilt slightly away from yourself, and, of course, not towards the guests. Carefully remove the foil and carefully unscrew the muzzle - this is a bridle made of thin but strong wire that holds the cork. Holding the cork just in case, cover it with a napkin, wrapping the cloth around the neck. While slowly pulling the cork up, you need to carefully turn the bottle. A couple of seconds - a barely audible clap, and the champagne is poured into the glasses.
Video: an easy and safe way to uncork a drink
Opening champagne with a cork is quite simple. To do this, shake the bottle lightly. The main thing is not to forget to wrap it in fabric. When the plug is shot, the towel will absorb excess foam and liquid. And, of course, when uncorking it is necessary to ensure that the cork is not directed at others. Or on fragile breakable objects.
The disadvantage of this method is that it is impossible to completely control the flight of the plug. And there is a high probability that you won’t be able to get away with just broken glasses.
The difference between uncorking a plastic stopper and a cork stopper is small. The second one will require a little more effort. But it happens that the cork breaks in your hands. Part, as usual, remains in the neck of the bottle. This is where the corkscrew will begin best assistant. First, a puncture is made in the cork to allow excess gas to escape. Now the corkscrew must be carefully screwed into the center of the cork. And then slowly pull it out of the neck.
What to do if the corkscrew did not pass such a test? They'll come to the rescue here traditional methods. Some people advise in this case to slam your hand or a book firmly on the bottom of the bottle. From the impact and under the pressure of carbon dioxide, the plug will fly out on its own.
There is also a more extreme method, nicknamed “hussar”. It is used mainly as a performance during holidays. But it’s also quite suitable for uncorking a bottle with a stuck cork. The champagne is also held at an angle away from you. With a sharp blow of a checker, dagger or knife, the part under the neck of the bottle is broken off, in which the cork is present. As they say, glass fragments do not have time to get into the drink, foaming out onto the surface.
The method is really effective and spectacular. But if the opening person has not previously completed a course in using edged weapons and horse riding, there is a high possibility of getting hurt himself. Or inadvertently offend others. Another disadvantage is that tiny particles of glass will still end up in the wine. So this method should only be used by professionals.
But what if there are no representatives of the stronger sex? There is no one to wave a saber, and I don’t want to clean the apartment from shaken champagne. The girl can hold the bottle with her knees for stability. Next, carefully remove the muzzle and wrap the neck with a cloth. This way your hands will slip less on the surface. Gently rock the cork, slowly and holding it, pull it up.
Video: opening like a gussar
Another option for uncorking a bottle with gentle female hands wouldn’t hurt. A puncture is made in the cork, which will reduce the pressure. You need to let the champagne sit for about 10 minutes. It won't fizzle out. If the cork is plastic, then the top is simply cut off with a very sharp knife. Since plastic corks are hollow inside, champagne will easily pour through the remaining part of the bottle. With the cortex the situation is more complicated. The top needs to be cut off with a knife. As with plastic, a piercing or tiny hole is made. The time for removing excess gas is the same. Then, using a knife or other convenient device, the cork is pushed inside millimeters at a time. Small pieces did the corks end up in the drink? You can pour it into glasses in the kitchen through a fine strainer.
We've shared the easiest and most fun ways to open your favorite holiday drink. We hope that our advice will help you when you need it most important point. Don't be afraid to experiment and try something new. Be confident in your abilities and you will succeed!
Content:Useful tips
How to open champagne correctly
Smith's Law
How to open champagne (video)
Champagne glasses
Alternative methods discoveries
Interesting Facts about champagne
Before learning the technique of opening a bottle of champagne, it is worth mentioning the culture of drinking this drink.
Useful tips
- When opening a bottle, you need to think about those around you and follow safety precautions.
Tear off a bottle of champagne WITHOUT loud bang, and with a slight sigh is a sign of good form.
Connoisseurs of this drink claim that one ordinary The bottle should be enough for 8 servings.
- The owner should not pass the bottle from hand to hand, but pour champagne for guests himself, since the person on whom the drink runs out will find himself in an awkward situation.
If the champagne is sour and dry, then it should be poured into tall thin glasses. If it is sweet, then you need to pour it into wide glasses.
Fill the glass 2/3 full with champagne. 
- It’s also worth knowing how to hold glasses correctly. For example, professional tasters believe in good form take glasses by the stand or stem, but, in no case for a cup. This is because the wine can be heated by hand and lose its flavor.
To prevent champagne from foaming too much in glasses, experts advise shake a piece of ice in the bowl.
The sparkling drink is usually eaten cheese, olives, white meat, seafood or fruit desserts.
How to open champagne correctly
If you don’t want to splash your guests and things around with champagne, you need to know how to open it correctly.
1. The very first thing to do is cool the drink to 5-7 degrees. This process should take approximately one and a half to two hours. 
*It is worth noting that It is NOT advisable to place champagne in the coldest corner of the refrigerator.
* Champagne cannot be frozen.
* There are special refrigerators for wine, but they are also not best choice, since the bottle in them will be wet.
* You can also cool it in a special bucket by adding ice and water.
If guests are coming soon, you can speed up the cooling process by adding regular table salt.2. After cooling the bottle wipe dry and wrap in a napkin. This must be done in such a way as to close the label. This will make holding the bottle much more convenient. 
*Do not shake the bottle.
* If you have never opened champagne before, it would be better to do this in the kitchen, and not in front of guests, where you can get nervous and splash people.
3. Remove the top of the capsule and carefully unscrew the wire, holding the stopper with your thumb on top. 
* If you really want to open a bottle of champagne in front of the audience, then make sure the wire on it is intact. The fact is that if you untwist it and break it off, the entire wire frame will simply fall off.
* Don't shake the bottle otherwise it may shoot out when you open it. Despite the fact that many people want to see the cork fly out, this is not so important and fun; rather, it may be the other way around if the cork hits someone in the face or on the glass.
4. After you have removed the wire, prepare the bottle at an angle of 45 degrees. Make sure that the neck of the bottle does not point towards burning candles, glass or guests. 
Grasp the big one and index fingers plug and slowly begin to loosen the plug, turning the bottle(NOT the plug) left and right while pulling it down at the same time.
*If you are not sure, you can Just in case, wrap the cork in a napkin. Since gases will come out of the bottle along with the cork, it will not be difficult to remove the cork.
* If the gases begin to increase strongly, you can prepare chilled teaspoon and lean it against the neck of the bottle, thereby stopping the process.
* To avoid spilling champagne on the tablecloth when pouring the drink into glasses, after each filling slightly rotate the bottle around its axis.
If you open the champagne incorrectly, the cork may break. To fix the error you will need a corkscrew. But if he is not nearby, then our useful tips on the topic of how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.
How to open a bottle of champagne. Smith's Law. 
According to Smith's Law, which scientists have come to, the pressure in a bottle of champagne should be equal to the pressure in the tires of a popular red London bus.
To achieve this, the drink must be cooled to a temperature of 5 - 7C. At this temperature, the pressure in the bottle will be 1/3 lower than the pressure at room temperature.
It will also be interesting to note that chilled champagne tastier and more aromatic since it has an accentuated acidity. And this chilled drink Bubbles rise more slowly which allows you to enjoy it longer.
Scientists have found that about half of women are afraid to open champagne for fear of possible destruction. But with the help of the right advice, there is now nothing to fear.
How to open champagne (video)
How to open champagne using alternative methods
Interesting facts about champagne
- In fact, champagne is wine. But a wine can only be called champagne if it was made in Champagne, historical region in France. If the wine was made elsewhere, but using the same method, then only the term can be used "traditional wine"
* In other cities of France, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace, the traditional wine we know as "champagne" is called Cremant. In Spain this drink is called "Cava", in Italy - "Spumante", in Germany - "Sekt", and in South Africa- "Cap Classique".
If you're wondering what grapes champagne is made from, it's chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier.
One bottle of champagne contains approximately 47 million bubbles.
- Pressure inside a champagne bottle about 6 atmospheres, which is 3 times more than in a car tire and almost equal to the pressure in a double-decker bus. This is why corks and bottles for champagne are made thicker than for other drinks.
In 2008, scientists calculated that the speed of a cork that flies out of a champagne bottle when shaken is approximately 40 km/h. 
- Unlike other wines, champagne does not improve over time.
The largest glass of champagne was made by Ukrainian specialists. Its volume is 56.25 liters. 
- In the biography of Marilyn Monroe it is reported that the actress once took a bath in a bathtub filled with champagne. To do this, it was necessary to empty 350 bottles of this drink. 
Before learning the technique of opening a bottle of champagne, it is worth mentioning the culture of drinking this drink.
Useful tips
When opening a bottle, you need to think about those around you and follow safety precautions.
Tearing off a bottle of champagne WITHOUT a loud bang, but with a slight sigh, is a sign of good manners.
Connoisseurs of this drink claim that one regular bottle should be enough for 8 servings.
- The owner should not pass the bottle from hand to hand, but pour champagne to the guests himself, since the person on whom the drink runs out will find himself in an awkward situation.
If the champagne is sour and dry, then it should be poured into tall, thin glasses. If it is sweet, then you need to pour it into wide glasses.
Fill the glass 2/3 full with champagne.
- It’s also worth knowing how to hold glasses correctly. For example, professional tasters consider it good form to take glasses by the stand or by the stem, but in no case by the cup. This is because the wine can be heated by hand and lose its flavor.
To prevent champagne from foaming too much in glasses, experts advise shaking a piece of ice in the glass beforehand.
The sparkling drink is usually enjoyed with cheese, olives, white meat, seafood or fruit desserts.
How to open champagne correctly
If you don’t want to splash your guests and things around with champagne, you need to know how to open it correctly.
1. The very first thing to do is cool the drink to 5-7 degrees. This process should take approximately one and a half to two hours.
*It is worth noting that it is NOT advisable to place champagne in the coldest corner of the refrigerator.
* Champagne should not be frozen.
* There are special refrigerators for wine, but they are also not the best choice, since the bottle will be wet.
* You can also cool it in a special bucket by adding ice and water. If guests are coming soon, you can speed up the cooling process by adding regular table salt to the bucket.
2. After cooling, wipe the bottle dry and wrap it in a napkin. This must be done in such a way as to close the label. This will make holding the bottle much more convenient.
*Do not shake the bottle.
* If you have never opened champagne before, it would be better to do this in the kitchen, and not in front of guests, where you can get nervous and splash people.
3. Remove the top of the capsule and carefully unscrew the wire, holding the stopper with your thumb on top.
* If you really want to open a bottle of champagne in front of the audience, then make sure that the wire on it is in good condition. The fact is that if you untwist it and break it off, the entire wire frame will simply fall off.
* Do not shake the bottle, otherwise it may shoot when you open it. Despite the fact that many people want to see the cork fly out, this is not so important and fun; rather, it may be the other way around if the cork hits someone in the face or on the glass.
4. Once you have removed the wire, prepare the bottle at a 45 degree angle. Make sure that the neck of the bottle does not point towards burning candles, glass or guests.
Wrap your thumb and forefinger around the cork and slowly begin to loosen the cork by twisting the bottle (NOT the cork) left and right while pulling it down.
*If you are not sure, you can wrap the cork in a napkin just in case. Since gases will come out of the bottle along with the cork, it will not be difficult to remove the cork.
* If the gases begin to increase strongly, you can prepare a chilled teaspoon and lean it against the neck of the bottle, thereby stopping the process.
* To avoid spilling champagne on the tablecloth when pouring the drink into glasses, after each filling, slightly rotate the bottle around its axis.
Scientists have found that about half of women are afraid to open champagne for fear of possible destruction. But with the help of the right advice, there is now nothing to fear.
Champagne has long entered our lives as an attribute of holiday, fun, and celebration. But all this can easily be ruined by the inability to open a bottle of champagne.
And it’s not a shame when girls at a bachelorette party look at each other with a silent question: “Well, who will open it for us,” and then endlessly torment the poor cork - after all, according to etiquette, ladies are not supposed to open this drink.
But when it comes to men, and even in a romantic or super-ceremonial setting, such as an intimate date in evening dresses or at the boss’s birthday, you don’t really want to lose face and pour yourself out at the same time. sparkling drink a friend’s new dress or using the cork to break the boss’s wife’s favorite chandelier. But can this happen? Yes, if you have no idea how to open champagne.
Therefore, you need to train. And before you start doing this, you should find out how to open champagne correctly without noise, without a shot, quietly and peacefully. In general, so that a bottle of champagne does not become like a volcano spewing lava. And if someone thinks that shooting a cork is cool, we say right away - no, it’s not cool. And not fun. And not according to etiquette.
And to open the champagne beautifully and effectively, that’s all you need...
- Cool the bottle to 6-8°C by placing it in the refrigerator or a special ice bucket for two hours. This is necessary to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is formed during opening. But under no circumstances should you push the bottle into freezer– this will thoroughly ruin its taste. As a little extra tip, make sure the drink hasn’t expired!
- Prepare a clean small towel or napkin in advance, since the bottle, once in a warm place after cooling, becomes covered with perspiration (condensation) and can slip out of your hands. Wrap the drink in a napkin, covering the entire label. Do this carefully, without shaking, otherwise the cork will still fly out of the bottle.
- When starting to open, start with the foil and wire holding the stopper in place. After removing them, tilt the bottle 40-45° and rest its bottom on the table, for example. Point the neck to a safe place, at least at the wall, but not towards the chandelier, family china or lady of your heart. And then you never know...
Now you are ready for the most important thing - clamp the cork tightly and start spinning the bottle (not the cork!). Don't be an amateur - don't let the champagne splash and make a loud pop when removing the cork. A slow, finger-controlled extraction will only prolong the anticipation. Slowly relax your fingers, holding the plug every millimeter of its advance.
If you feel that the gas pressure will now blow out the plug, there is one interesting way rectify the situation. To do this, you will need to cool a regular spoon before cooling the drink. So, if you apply this very cooled spoon to the neck of the bottle, the gas pressure level will immediately decrease, and you can calmly continue opening.
- Having opened the bottle, continue - fill the glasses of your guests or your lady in the same unhurried, bewitching rhythm. This way you will not only follow all the rules of etiquette, but also turn the process of opening and drinking champagne into a kind of ritual. By the way, according to the rules, champagne must be poured in two stages and filled no more than 2/3 of the glass.
The ability to open champagne with a light pop (without splashing!) will delight guests, for example, at a wedding or anniversary. But this will require even more skill on your part than opening without a clap. Indeed, in this case, you will need to neglect one of the main rules and lightly shake the bottle. In this case, the increasing pressure will forcefully push the plug out of the neck, and your task is to first hold it, and then deftly remove it without spilling the liquid.
If you have already become a pro at opening sparkling wines, and the guests do not want a traditional leisurely ceremony, but fun and “drive”, then practice opening the bottle in a slightly shocking, but exciting way - with a knife.
- As in classic version, you will need to chill the champagne. Also, get rid of the foil and untwist the wire (but do not remove it), completely eliminating its hold on the plug. You can leave the foil and untwisted wire only in case of absolute self-confidence, that is, in the complete success of the “operation”.
- Choose the right knife. It should be quite large, wide, and quite sharp.
- Tilt the champagne 40-45°, turning its neck away from people and valuables - neither you nor we want any injuries or losses.
- Now select one of the seams on the bottle along which the opening will occur. Take the knife with the tip towards you and the blunt end towards the neck. Run it several times along the selected seam, visually select the place to strike, and, taking aim, deliver a sharp and strong blow to this place. But do not hit directly perpendicular to the neck. The blow should be slightly sliding, as when planing. If it doesn’t work the first time, hit it again and the neck will probably bounce off. Make sure that some of the liquid pours out - it will wash away the smallest particles of glass from the “cut”. Although this should happen by itself.
In general, there are practically no fragments when opening with a knife. But if you are worried about microscopic glass particles, then after filling the glass with champagne, wait a few seconds, and even if there is something in the glass by accident, everything will settle to the bottom. After draining your glass, leave a sip or two at the bottom and you will protect yourself from eating the glass.
This opening method is called “hussar” and certainly looks impressive. Initially, to open champagne using the hussar method, it was meant to take not a knife, but a saber. But since sabers are a problem these days, they were replaced by a kitchen knife.
But even if you prefer classic way opening, we recommend that you still practice in the “hussar”. He can come to the rescue if the plug breaks. Of course, in the case of a broken cork, a corkscrew, fork, etc. can help you. But you can do without a corkscrew. Moreover, the hussar method is still more aesthetically pleasing; moreover, a cork accidentally flying out under the influence of a corkscrew will not cause injury to you, and your lady and guests will not have to watch you pick at the neck of the bottle and pull out pieces of cork from the glass.
Having opened 2-3 bottles of champagne, you may not yet become a “pro,” but after the 10th experience, it will take its toll and things will get off the ground.
At almost every holiday, a sparkling guest appears - champagne. But as tasty as this alcohol is, it is also difficult to open it correctly. No, you can break a glass window with a cork, break your favorite chandelier or plasma screen, but you always want to open a bottle beautifully and carefully. How to open champagne correctly?
Opening champagne without shooting
Very easy way open the bottle correctly without a shot or pop and subsequent destruction. Thanks to this method, even a fragile girl can easily open this drink.
- Be sure to chill the champagne! Yes, champagne should not be opened if it is warm, but needs to be cooled to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide. If it's a fancy party, chill the drink in an ice bucket to make the opening process look like something out of a movie from start to finish. If not, the bottom shelf of the refrigerator will be more than enough.
- Place the bottle on the table or hold the bottle firmly with your hand just below the neck.
- Place your palm on the cork and carefully unscrew it (some people place a towel on the cork to be on the safe side). The gas will gradually come out.
- As soon as you feel that the plug has completely come out, do not remove it, but hold it a little longer. When the excess gas is finally released, you can remove the cork and pour the champagne into glasses. There was no pop, it was done!
This was the first way. Next method similar, but even easier in its rules and more suitable for men, since it is more convenient for women to open the bottle when it is not in an inclined position.
Champagne and corkscrew
You can find special champagne openers on sale. A lot of them different options, one of them is in the photo on the left. With this opener it is very easy to open a bottle without harming anyone.
If the bottle is sealed with a wooden or cork stopper, then you may need a corkscrew (it will be enough to cut off the top of the cork with a knife and then use a corkscrew). In fact, there are no special problems with its choice; it is enough to know a few features of the ideal corkscrew. For cortical plugs Corkscrews with a pointed and thin spiral work well. The thicker the spiral, the more difficult it will be to pull out the cork.
A stationary corkscrew works well for opening bottles, but buy it if you are sure that you will really use it often, since it is not very cheap.
If the corkscrew you like has a manual action mechanism, then buy the model whose handle has a thin spot and is made of wood or rubber. This will help your hand not slip when opening the bottle.
The cork is broken
What if we have already learned all the tips for opening champagne, but the cork breaks at the most crucial moment? The main thing is don’t panic!
First, carefully inspect the plug. If most of it is still in the neck, try opening it with a corkscrew. Just do this very carefully and pull the plug up very slowly.
If this method does not suit you, shake the bottle thoroughly and slam your hand on the bottom of the bottle. It is advisable to point the bottle towards the wall or into a towel.
And one last thing. To beautifully open a bottle of champagne at a party, if possible, practice several times alone or. Then you will definitely be able to show off your skills.
Found a mistake? Select it and click Shift + Enter or
Loading...