"popping champagne" news and stories

A friend had me over for dinner and handed me a bottle of Champagne to open. His roommate handed me a corkscrew. This reminded me how often folks really don't know how to open a bottle of bubbly. Here's how to properly open your champagne for the holidays and beyond:

1. Chill Champagne 3 hours in fridge or 30 minutes in ice bucket. Chilled Champagne is less volatile ... and tastier! Take care to not shake or disturb too much to also lessen volatility of bubbles.

2. Towel dry your chilled bottle to prevent any slippage.

3. Remove foil from top by pulling tab or gently cutting foil if no tab present.

4. Point the bottle away from you and other people just in case a cork gets on the loose.

5. Keeping thumb on the cork, remove wire cage with cap with six half twists. If you truly want to impress your friends, call the wire cage by its French name "le muselet."

6. Hold cork in one hand with slight downward pressure to prevent cork flying out and hold the fat part of the bottle in the other. If it helps you feel more secure, hold the cork with a towel in your hand for better grip and to help capture a runaway cork or wine spillage.

7. Twist the bottle and cork in opposite directions until you hear a soft "ssssffft" not the big pop you see in movies. This gentle way of opening helps maintain the bubble better. An old saying goes, "The ears loss is the palate's gain."

Want to really impress guests? Learn the "le sabrage" method after the jump.