How to open champagne with a knife. How to open children's champagne with a plastic cork without a corkscrew

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 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 fix 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 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.

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 edge towards you and blunt end to 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.

Few holidays are complete without a bottle sparkling wine. This attribute of fun has long been firmly established in our lives. However, only a few people know how to open champagne correctly. Some believe that the opening should be accompanied by noise and splashing of foam. Others are of the opinion that the bottle should be opened with a quiet pop and a slight smoke. Who is right? Let's figure it out.

Basic rules

There are many ways to open champagne. The bottle can be uncorked traditionally, removing the cork with your hands or using auxiliary objects. However, no matter which option you choose, they all have general rules preparation. The taste of the drink, aroma and the number of sparkling bubbles in the glass will depend on their compliance. Therefore, if you want your wine to delight you with its taste, follow the recommendations described below.

Don't chill the champagne too much. Make sure that the temperature of the sparkling wine is not lower than +4 ... +8 ° C.
Use a special cooler bucket for cooling. First fill it with water and put ice on top. If you follow this sequence, the champagne will cool down in 30–40 minutes. Cooling a drink using ice alone will take much longer.
Never place the bottle in the freezer. If you don't have a bucket, keep the wine in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours.
You can cool the champagne under running water. However, don't expect it to cool down until optimal temperature. This option will help reduce the temperature of the drink to +10 °C.
Before opening the bottle, be sure to remove the foil from the neck. To do this, cut it with a knife under the cork.

Plastic stopper

Champagne connoisseurs know that technical specifications Winemakers do not allow the use of plastic corks. Therefore, if the purchased bottle is sealed with this particular material, this indicates the low quality of the drink itself. This wine is saturated with carbon dioxide, which means it will foam a lot.

To safely remove the plastic plug, it must be unscrewed smoothly without applying excessive force. If you do everything carefully, the plug will be pushed out by itself due to gas pressure. Your task is to control the position of the bottle. As soon as the cork leaves the neck, tilt the container slightly and allow the carbon dioxide to escape slowly.

Wooden cork

Natural champagne, which goes through the process of aging and saturation with natural gases, is only corked wooden stopper. Such a drink will not create high pressure inside the bottle. Therefore, opening it correctly and safely will be quite easy and simple.

First, unscrew the wire holding the plug. Carefully remove it from the neck. Hold the bottom of the bottle with one hand and hold the cork with the other to slow down its speed. Never shake the bottle before opening. Otherwise, you risk bathing yourself and those around you in wine splashes.

No cotton

Professional sommeliers say that champagne should be opened correctly without cotton. It's done like this. Remove the foil from the bottle by pulling it using the special tab. If it is not there, use any sharp object and carefully pry the foil in a convenient place. Carefully unscrew the wire retainer (muselet). Hold the plug with your thumb to prevent an unwanted shot. To prevent the bottle from slipping in your hands, wrap it in a napkin or towel. Place the fabric around the neck so that it does not bind the cork or impede its progress.

Tilt the bottle at a 45° angle and begin to slowly unscrew the cap. After a while, you will feel that it itself begins to come out of the bottle under gas pressure. Don't interfere with her. Just make sure it doesn't move too fast. After the cork leaves the neck, pour the drink into glasses.

With clap

At a particularly special moment, you want to open the champagne with cotton. For the process to go as expected, first cool the drink to a temperature of +6 ... +8 ° C. Then tilt the bottle at an angle of 45°, remove the foil and wire. Squeeze the cork with one hand and rotate the bottle with the other. As soon as the cork begins to move forward on its own, tilt the bottle slightly and allow the gas to escape from the neck. In this case, removing the plug will be accompanied by a pleasant pop.

Using auxiliary items

Often, when opening sparkling wine, unexpected problems may arise: the cork crumbles. How to open champagne in this case? If you encounter such a problem, you cannot do without auxiliary means. Most often, a corkscrew with a thin spiral comes to the rescue (a thick spiral can only aggravate the situation).

To open champagne, you can use a corkscrew, screw or knife.

Carefully screw the corkscrew into the broken cork and gently pull it up. Take your time. Sudden actions may cause an explosion and damage the neck of the bottle. If you are afraid of this outcome, first make a small hole in the cork and release excess carbon dioxide. Great alternative there is a self-tapping screw protruding from the corkscrew. Screw it into the cork and then use pliers to slowly and carefully pull it up.

Some craftsmen open champagne with a knife. First they cut top part cork, and then slightly press its remains inside the bottle. Then they hit the bottom with their palm, helping the cork fly out of the neck under gas pressure. If you decide to use this method of removing a stuck cork, be careful: some of the drink may spill out and splash you and others.

When none of the above options work, you can try to correct the situation using a blunt object. Make a hole in the cork and let it out carbon dioxide. Then press the remaining cork inside the bottle using any suitable object. Be prepared that you will have to strain the champagne through a strainer, as there will be wood shavings floating in it.

Now you know different ways how to open champagne. Despite the apparent complexity, it is enough to open a bottle of sparkling wine yourself 2-3 times, and you can consider yourself a professional in this matter.

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.

Don't remove the plug too loudly. Therefore, before serving, the container must be kept in the refrigerator. Do not over-cool the drink, this may adversely affect its taste qualities. It is enough for the sparkling wine to stand on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for two hours. Wrap the neck with a napkin, this will prevent it from slipping when opening. Now remove the foil and excise stamp. Carefully remove the wire. Using smooth rotating movements, remove the plug. As a result, a faint pop should be heard. In this case, the liquid should not leak out of the container. Opening champagne without the pop will preserve the taste of the drink. Do you want to attract the attention of guests and make the atmosphere truly festive? Then open the champagne with a pop. This option is suitable for weddings. Shake the bottle, but do not overdo it, as half of the drink may spill out of the container along with the foam. Carefully turn the container upside down and then back to its original position. There is another way in which you can open champagne. This option is suitable for experienced amateurs sparkling drink. To do this, remove the foil and paper. Be sure to remove the label from the neck. This can be done with a knife. Cool the drink. Take the bottle in your left hand, holding it by the bottom. Now remove the wire. Don't touch the plug. Hold the container and take a large kitchen knife with a wide blade. Point the knife with the sharp blade towards you. Place the knife on the neck. Find the seam and try to run the knife along the seam several times. Now hit the neck sharply with the knife, sliding the blade along it. There is no need to hit with a knife, pointing it perpendicular to the bottle. The knife should be parallel to the neck. You will need to open 5-6 bottles to master the “hussar” technique of opening champagne. Keep in mind that the blow must be precise and strong, then the cork will fly out of the bottle along with part of the neck. When opening, move away from guests and do not point the bottle in their direction. When opened for the first time, the container may break and guests may cut themselves. If you are having a bachelorette party and there are no experienced champagne lovers among the guests, you can resort to “ female way" To do this, remove the wire and label from the bottle. Hold the container with your knees while sitting on a chair. Place the bottle so that a 45 degree angle is formed between the floor and the neck. Place a towel over the cork and use a rotating motion to remove it. To avoid popping, refrigerate the drink. If you feel that the pressure inside the container is very high, then apply a cold spoon to the neck, this will slightly reduce the pressure. This method is suitable for opening cheap drinks with plastic caps.

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.”

Pre-holiday meetings with friends and pleasant gatherings with relatives. And, of course, such a holiday cannot be imagined without the much-loved drink of many girls - sparkling wine or champagne. If there are no male representatives in the team, it doesn’t matter! We invite you to read our instructions and finally learn how to open champagne yourself, and most importantly, do it correctly.

A little preparation

To make it easier to uncork without any unpleasant incidents, it is necessary to cool it correctly and sufficiently. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide contained in the vessel and it will open without much difficulty. Correct temperature for serving sparkling wine and champagne - an average of 4 to 6 degrees. You can use a special champagne bucket (called a cooler) filled with ice and cold water or put it in the refrigerator in advance for an average of 5–6 hours.

If you don't have time to wait that long, however, don't put champagne in the freezer! Better - fill a larger vessel with cold water and lower the vessel there for at least 30 minutes, and immediately before opening, pour cold water over the neck.

Never shake the champagne before opening, unless you want to make a spectacular salvo by pouring most of the drink onto the guests present. Tilt the vessel slightly to redistribute the pressure in the vessel.

Ways to open a bottle

Use the following instructions:

Take and remove the foil wrapper from the neck by pulling the special tab, or, if it is missing, making a hole in the foil with a sharp knife.

Unscrew and remove the muselet - a special wire fuse, and at this time hold the plug with your thumb from unwanted ejection.
Then cover the neck with a towel, not too tightly, so that the cork can come out without causing unnecessary inconvenience to others.
Tilt the bottle about 45 degrees and begin to unscrew the cap gradually and very slowly, holding the vessel, avoiding sudden movements.
After some time, it should leave the bottle on its own, just do not interfere with the internal pressure and lightly restrain it with a towel so that it does not hit others and does not break anything in the kitchen.

How to open champagne for a girl without clap? Wrap the vessel in a towel or cloth and place it on the table, holding it just below the neck. Cover the cork with a napkin and begin to slowly unscrew it very slowly and smoothly. When you feel that it has almost left the neck, hold it slightly to release excess gas. This method prevents the possibility of popping and helps open the champagne without much hassle.

The methods described above are suitable for quiet gatherings in a female company, as well as at official events that require... However, if you have noisy party and you want to surprise your guests, open the champagne with with a loud bang. To do this, use the following recommendations:

In order not to scare or accidentally injure those gathered, and also to avoid causing damage to interior items, point the neck of the bottle to a safe point.
Please note that some of the drink may simply spill out during opening.
Shake the champagne slightly, and only then remove the wrapper and muzelle. But do it carefully and under no circumstances point the bottle at yourself!
Let the cork come out on its own without holding it back too much.
Voila! We hope you had the desired effect.

After such uncorking, the wine should be immediately poured into glasses and not left to be stored in the vessel.

There are other, more extravagant ways to uncork a bottle. For example, in hussar style. However, this method requires not only a large sharp knife, and ideally a saber, but also considerable dexterity. To learn how to uncork champagne this way, watch the following video:

How to open champagne if the cork is broken

Usually champagne is opened without a corkscrew, but if your cork is broken, you can use this device. To do this, first rotate the corkscrew completely, thus making a hole so that excess gas escapes. After this, screw in the corkscrew and pull it towards you very smoothly and slowly. At the slightest sudden movement, the neck may explode. To avoid injury and prevent unpleasant consequences, wrap the neck with a towel in advance.