What makes champagne open on its own? How to open a bottle of champagne silently, with a loud bang, and what to do if there are only girls at the table

Despite the incredible popularity of sparkling wine, not everyone knows how to open champagne correctly. But such knowledge is simply vital for men, since it is on their shoulders that the responsibility for uncorking the treasured bottle most often falls. And it is especially important to know what to do in a difficult situation when it is impossible to get rid of a traffic jam using conventional methods.

How to open champagne correctly?

According to the rules of etiquette, sparkling wine should not make any sounds when opening, and a deafening bang followed by a spectacular popping of the cork is generally considered bad manners. Therefore, a real man needs to have an idea of ​​​​how to open champagne without cotton. If we are talking about a plastic stopper, then it is necessary to follow a clear algorithm.

  1. The drink must be cooled, otherwise it will not be possible to open it silently in any case. To do this, you can use a special bucket of ice or simply put the bottle in the refrigerator for half an hour. The optimal temperature for serving champagne is 6-8 degrees.
  2. After you take the bottle in your hands, it should be positioned correctly - tilted about 40 degrees. This is necessary to minimize the level of pressure on the walls - in this position the greatest load will be placed exactly at the place where the neck begins, and under the influence of gases the plug will come out on its own. In addition, champagne should be turned away from breakable objects and people, just in case.
  3. Now you need to remove the protection from the cork - the wire braid and foil.
  4. Next, you need to grab the cork tightly with your hand, and with the other take the bottle and begin to rotate it in one direction, loosening the cork. As soon as you feel it coming out, tilt the champagne a little more and carefully remove the cork completely. All that remains to be done is pour the wine into glasses.

How to open champagne with a wooden cork?

If the champagne is sealed with a wooden cork, then you need to act differently - you will need a corkscrew. You can use a special device designed for opening sparkling wines or use a very ordinary corkscrew, but always with a pointed and thin spiral. A thick corkscrew is not suitable here.

The upper part of the cork stopper is cut off with a sharp knife, and then the lower half is carefully removed from the neck using a corkscrew. The same should be done if the wooden plug accidentally breaks.

How to open champagne without a corkscrew?

However, although a corkscrew is a popular tool, it is not always at hand in an emergency. Therefore, the problem often arises of how to open champagne if the cork is broken and there is no corkscrew. In this case, you can use a variety of available tools.

  1. Take a long screw and pliers. Carefully screw the screw into the cork using pliers, leaving about a third of the stem and head on the surface. Now grab the screw with pliers and gently pull, removing the plug.
  2. If you have a pocket knife, then you can involve him in the matter. Carefully insert the blade between the cork and the neck of the bottle, pressing slowly while holding the bottle with your hand. Move the blade, then try to stick it into the cork. Now pull it until it comes out of the bottle, grab it comfortably with your fingers and remove it.
  3. When you don’t know how to open champagne, if it doesn’t open, then an ordinary thick wire can help. Bend the end of it, making a hook, and carefully push it into the cork, making a hole through it. Now twist a little so that the hook is firmly embedded in the wood, and slowly pull until the cork comes out of the neck.

The procedure of opening a bottle of champagne has always been a certain symbol of the beginning of the holiday; accordingly, if care is not taken, the impression of the evening can be somewhat spoiled. It is especially important to have the appropriate skills if you need to open champagne for a girl.

Therefore, in order to avoid such unpleasant situations, it is advisable to know how to open champagne correctly.

How to open champagne with a plastic cork

It is immediately necessary to clarify that all types of champagne wines are sealed with a cork stopper, as this is required by the technical conditions for the manufacture of such a product. A plastic stopper is used to seal a product that is not actually champagne wine, and belongs to this category only due to its name.

A special feature of this product is the extremely high pressure inside the bottle, as well as the significant content of carbon dioxide in such wine, which actively forms foam when the bottle is opened.

To safely open this type of champagne after untwisting the fixing wire, you must grasp the cork and hold its end with your thumb to prevent it from flying out under the influence of high internal pressure.

In general, you don't have to force yourself to remove the cork; rather, you will need to hold it in place to prevent it from shooting and preventing the wine from foaming and spilling from the bottle.

As the cork moves out of the bottle, gas pressure must control its position to prevent it from breaking. When the cork is completely out of the neck, it must be slightly tilted to smoothly release the carbon dioxide and prevent it from firing.

How to open champagne with a wooden cork

Wines undergoing the process of natural champagne (formation of carbon dioxide) are sealed with a wooden cork stopper, so the internal pressure in a bottle with such a drink is relatively low. This will make opening champagne without the cotton much easier.

In this case, after unscrewing the holding wire, you will need to hold the cork in your left hand and turn the bottle by the bottom with your right hand, as if twisting the neck of the bottle from the cork.

When the cork is almost completely removed from the bottle, it is necessary to slow down its advance to avoid being shot.

How to open champagne without shooting

The main condition for quietly opening champagne is to slowly remove the cork, due to which the carbon dioxide gas present in the bottle is smoothly released into the atmosphere and a shot does not occur.

To reduce the carbon dioxide pressure inside the bottle, it is advisable to cool the champagne to approximately 6-8 °C before drinking. After this, carefully opening the bottle will become much easier.

Also, when opening, it is advisable to hold the bottle at an angle of about 45°, this also reduces the likelihood of a shot.

How to open champagne if the cork is broken

Well, it’s not worth opening champagne like a hussar, that is, cutting off the neck of the bottle with a bladed weapon. At a minimum, this can cause the bottle to shatter, and in some cases, cause serious injury from broken glass from an exploding bottle.

The best option in this case would be to open the champagne with a corkscrew.

In some cases, this option may not help, then you will have to open the bottle using a self-tapping screw. To do this, you will need a wood screw at least 100 mm long, an appropriate size screwdriver and pliers. We screw the self-tapping screw into the remaining cork, and then remove it using pliers.

How and with what to close an open bottle of champagne

As you know, open champagne “fizzles out” very quickly, losing its taste and aroma. If there is still wine left in the bottle after the holiday, you need to know how to close an open bottle of champagne.

The surest way to close a bottle of champagne is to use plastic corks from cheap versions of this drink. The central part of the cork does not deform after removal, which makes it possible to reuse it.

You can also close the champagne back using special plastic corks for sealing wine, sold in specialized stores.

A rather dubious, but well-known way to close champagne is to use a spoon. In this case, a spoon (preferably a silver table spoon) is inserted with its handle into the neck of the bottle. Although this seems absurd, for several days (according to some reviews - up to one week), carbon dioxide remains in the champagne and oxidation of the wine material does not occur.

Another option to close an open bottle of champagne is to take its cork and cut it into a “chopik” to make it possible to reinsert it into the bottle, so you can close it yourself. Something like this:

How to open champagne the hussar way


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 get hot 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 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 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.

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 overcool the drink; this may adversely affect its taste. 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 the tax 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 sparkling drink lovers. 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 the “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. The correct temperature for serving sparkling wine and champagne is on average 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 are having a loud party and want to surprise your guests, open the champagne with a loud pop. 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.

If you don’t have a corkscrew, you can try to uncork the bottle using a fairly long screw and pliers. In this case, it is also worth using smooth movements so as not to damage the vessel.

Related publications