How to open champagne? Different ways to open a sparkling drink. How to open a bottle of champagne correctly

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 cork with your thumb and forefinger and slowly begin to loosen the cork, 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 how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew will help you.

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.

Opening champagne is a whole science. During home feasts, the bottle is often uncorked with a loud “bang” and foam escaping. The waiters in the restaurant do this much more quietly: you can only hear a light pop and notice a little smoke. According to etiquette, this option is considered correct.

Before opening the bottle, the drink must be properly prepared. Four tips will help you cope with the task easily, even if you are doing it for the first time.

1. Cool your drink. This will significantly improve its taste and reduce the amount of gas. The best and fastest way is to use a special bucket (cooler). Water is poured into the bottom and ice cubes are sprinkled on top of the bottle. This method will allow you to cool the drink in 30-40 minutes. You can resort to using the refrigerator. But in this case, it will take about six hours for high-quality cooling. Do not put sparkling wine in the freezer. This is how champagne loses its pleasant taste, and the amount of gas decreases so much that the drink completely loses its characteristic bubbles.
2. Prepare a napkin. A cooled bottle, coming into contact with warm air in the room, will definitely fog up. It becomes difficult to hold such a vessel in your hands, and when combined with the pressure escaping from the bottle, it becomes completely impossible. Therefore, to prevent champagne from slipping out of your hands, it is recommended to wrap the bottle in a towel or napkin, covering the label.
3. Don't shake the bottle. If you are going to open champagne in the usual classic way, then you should not shake the drink. This will cause the gas to increase excessively. In this case, no matter how hard you try, the cork will loudly leave the neck, and the foamed liquid, like an avalanche, will burst out of the bottle.
4. Tilt the bottle. During opening, the champagne is tilted at an angle of 40°. If you hold the bottle vertically, all the pressure will be concentrated in the neck. To redistribute it, and thereby reduce it in the traffic jam, it is recommended to tilt the vessel. This way you can control the process. At the same time, carefully examine the place where the cork will fly out if you do not hold it. Never point the drink at people or animals! It is advisable to eliminate the risk of the cork getting into valuable items.

If you want to speed up the cooling process of the champagne, add a couple of tablespoons of table salt to the cooler with ice. And don't forget about water. By pouring only ice into the bucket, you will increase the cooling time several times.

5 methods

There are several ways to open champagne. Of course, in official circles only one is recognized, silent, which indicates the good tone of the opener. But this does not mean that other methods are unworthy of attention. What if you want to feel like a hussar? Or make a lasting impression on others?

There is a special corkscrew for opening champagne. This mechanism allows you to easily and safely uncork the bottle. Do not use a regular corkscrew for this procedure, it can be very dangerous. When you twist a corkscrew into a cork, you involuntarily push it inside. And this creates additional pressure, which will lead to the bottle bursting.

Classical

Peculiarities . This method of opening a drink is used in official circles. This is exactly how they silently uncork sparkling wine in restaurants. You need to calm down. More often than not, the bottle slips from trembling hands, the cork flies out like a bullet during a fright, and guests are doused with a sparkling drink. Therefore, pull yourself together and proceed confidently.

Step by step instructions

1. Take a bottle. Wrap the champagne in a towel and carefully pick up the bottle.
2. Remove the foil. Find the special tab and pull it lightly. If you can't find it, use a knife and carefully pry off the foil. This can be done anywhere. Now remove the formed foil cap.
3. Spin the muzle. Before your eyes is a wire retainer called a muzzle. It protects the cork from premature release during storage or transportation of the drink. Carefully unscrew the lock. In this case, the plug must be held with your thumb. This will prevent an unwanted shot.
4. Use a towel. Cover the neck with a towel, leaving a small “margin” for the cork to come out freely. In this case, the latter will definitely not catapult in an unpredictable direction. If you are dealing with a plastic stopper, hold it as carefully as possible. Drinks sealed with plastic contain a lot of carbon dioxide, and therefore the pressure in such a vessel is higher.
5. Unscrew the plug. With the bottle tilted, begin to carefully unscrew the cap. Initially it will not come out well. But after a while you will feel yourself moving forward. This is what the gas pressure in the bottle does. Continue to control the exit of the cork and remember that it will definitely be contained by the “pocket” formed from the towel.

When the cork is completely out of the neck, you will hear a very quiet pop. Now take off the towel and calmly pour the sparkling drink into glasses.

Ladies'

Peculiarities . Usually men do the opening of champagne. But there are situations when girls have to do this. For example, at a bachelorette party. Young ladies should open the bottle elegantly and without firing a shot.

Step by step instructions

1. Place the bottle on the table. It is unlikely that you will be able to hold it in your hand, and even wrapped in a towel.
2. Prepare the cork. First you need to remove the foil. Then carefully unroll the muzelle.
3. Apply a napkin. Wrap the bottle and hold it tightly just below the neck.
4. Unscrew the plug. Now cover the cork with a towel and begin to carefully unscrew it.
5. Eliminate gas. When you feel that the plug is almost completely out, hold it in this position for a few seconds. This will allow excess gas to escape from the vessel.

Theatrical

Peculiarities . This method is suitable if you want to open the champagne with a loud pop and a foamy stream that shoots up to the heavens. It is this kind of discovery that is associated with celebration. But the method is quite dangerous. Therefore, before you begin the theatrical action, remember the main conditions. This type of champagne opening is prohibited indoors. Be sure to take into account the trajectory - there should be no people or electrical appliances in this area.

Step by step instructions

1. Prepare the champagne. Initially, you need to remove the foil and remove the muselet retainer. Do this very carefully, holding the cork with your palm.
2. Shake the bottle. This method of discovery involves a departure from some of the above rules. And if it was forbidden to shake the bottle to open it silently, now you can shake it thoroughly. But you must hold the cork firmly with your palm!
3. Let the traffic jam break. Point the bottle at a pre-selected safe location. Remove your hand and allow the cork to pop out with a loud pop.

It is advisable that the glasses be prepared in advance. As soon as the cork pops out, immediately begin pouring the foaming drink. Otherwise, all the champagne will turn into a fountain.

Hussarsky

Peculiarities . The Hussar opening method is another spectacular method. But it is the most difficult and requires quite careful preparation. In this case, champagne is opened with a knife. This trick almost never works the first time. As a rule, only the fifth or sixth bottle can be opened with a knife. The hussar method requires strict adherence to safety precautions. If you are ready, then arm yourself with a large kitchen knife and you can get started.

Step by step instructions

1. Prepare the bottle. Remove the foil from the stopper and neck. Carefully unwind the muzle and remove it.
2. Take a bottle. Take the champagne in your left hand and tilt it at an angle of 40-45°. The cork may fly out on its own, so be sure to ensure that it does not cause harm to anyone. Point the bottle in a direction where there are no people or valuable items.
3. Mark the seams. Each bottle has longitudinal seams. Choose one of them. Hold the knife so that the blunt end of the blade touches the neck. Run the knife along the seam several times and visually select the area to strike.
4. Cut off the neck. With a sharp, strong movement, strike the selected area with the blunt surface of the blade. But don't hit it perpendicularly. Position the knife at an angle so that your blow is glancing. It should resemble chip removal. If you didn’t manage to “open” the champagne the first time, try again. And the neck along with the cork will definitely bounce off.
5. Drain the champagne. Following the neck, a sparkling drink will burst out of the bottle. It is very important that some of the liquid is drained. This will remove small fragments from the “cut”.

If you are very worried about the fragments, then do not finish the entire drink - leave one or two sips in the glass. The fragments will not float in the champagne. They will sink to the bottom.

Spare

Peculiarities . The backup method is used only if something goes wrong. The most common problem is a broken plug. This situation can confuse even a professional. After all, it is impossible to pull the remaining cork out of the bottle with “bare” hands. A method somewhat reminiscent of “theatrical” will help here. Shake the bottle lightly. After a while, the cork itself will fly out of the neck. In this case, it will not be possible to avoid splashing the drink. Another method can be used. To do this, you need to use a regular corkscrew.

Step by step instructions

1. Release some of the gas. Don't forget that screwing in a corkscrew can end very badly. In the best case, the plug will fly out along with the nozzle. And in the worst case, the bottle will shatter into small pieces. Therefore, it is necessary to release some of the gas. To do this, take a medical syringe and carefully insert the needle into the cortical plug. You will immediately hear a hissing sound. The syringe itself is removed, and the needle is left in the stopper.
2. Screw in the corkscrew. Having released some of the gas, you can begin to screw in the corkscrew. If there is no corkscrew, then use a regular screw and pliers.
3. Pull out the plug. Now gently pull the corkscrew. If the plug does not come out, then do not pull it with all your might. A sudden movement can cause a strong pop and rupture of the neck. Better try to loosen it from one side to the other. And then gently pull it out.

Storage periods and methods

If you like to purchase champagne in advance, then it is important to remember a few simple rules that will reduce the likelihood of “failure” during its opening. In addition, after the celebration, open bottles of expensive drinks may remain. Don't rush to throw it away. Saving it for the second day is quite possible.

Closed bottle

Proper storage of the drink and maintained temperature conditions will preserve all the taste qualities of the sparkling wine. Please follow these rules.

• Deadlines. A drink sealed with a cork stopper can be stored for two years from the date of manufacture. And champagne with plastic is only 12 months.
• Temperature . It is recommended to store the drink at 5-18°C.
• Position. The bottle must be in a horizontal position. Otherwise, the crust will dry out and the cork will certainly break during opening. And protect your drink from the sun. Even in 15 minutes its rays can completely ruin the taste of sparkling wine.

Open bottle

• Storage conditions. If the drink is not completely drunk, then you should not keep it on the table for a long time. It is necessary to tightly seal the neck with a stopper. And to protect the refrigerator from unpredictable shots, use a muselet. In this form the bottle is placed in the refrigerator.
• Deadlines. If all conditions are met, the drink will retain its taste for one day. But it's about the taste, not the bubbles. Carbon dioxide may not be retained.

If you didn’t have time to cork and hide the champagne in the refrigerator in time, it doesn’t matter. Of course, you should not drink such a drink. But this wine is perfect for marinating meat or making sauces.

Strictly follow safety precautions. Don't pull the cork with your teeth! Never lean over a bottle. Even if it seems to you that the cork is sitting tightly in the neck and does not want to come out.

Useful tips

Before learning the technique of opening a bottle of champagne, it is worth mentioning the culture of drinking this drink.

When opening a bottle, you need to think about those around you and follow safety precautions.

Tear off a bottle of champagne NO 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.

You need to fill the glass with champagne at 2/3 .

It is also worth knowing how to hold glasses correctly. For example, professional tasters consider it good form hold glasses by the stand or stem, but in no case for a cup. This is because the wine can get hot by hand and lose its flavor.

To prevent champagne from foaming too much in glasses, experts advise shake a piece of ice in a 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 champagne on your guests and things around you, 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 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.

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 good. 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 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 cork with your thumb and forefinger and slowly begin to loosen the cork, 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.

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, allowing 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)

Champagne glasses

How to open champagne using alternative methods

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 that 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 40km/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 biography 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 this drink.

Are you having a holiday and want to please your guests with sparkling wine or champagne? To prevent the taste of the drink from spoiling, you need to know how to open champagne correctly.

If you cannot open a drink, do not use a corkscrew under any circumstances. The cork may fly out into your eye along with the corkscrew. Always tilt the bottle away from you so that the liquid does not touch the stopper. With a little practice, you will be able to very deftly open bottles of champagne and surprise guests in the “hussar way.”

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 want to lose face and spill sparkling drink on your friend’s new dress or break the cork from it 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 the 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...

1. 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 put the bottle in the freezer - this will seriously ruin its taste. As a little extra tip, make sure the drink hasn’t expired!
2. 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.
3. 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 is about to blow out the plug, there is one interesting way to correct 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.

1. 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 your guests want fun and excitement rather than a traditional leisurely ceremony, then practice opening a bottle in a slightly shocking but exciting way - with a knife.

1. As in the 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”.
2. Choose the right knife. It should be quite large, wide, and quite sharp.
3. Tilt the champagne 40-45°, turning its neck away from people and valuables - neither you nor we want any injuries or losses.
4. 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 the classic opening method, we recommend that you still practice the “hussar” method. 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.