1. Make sure your bottle is chilled
Champagne should be drunk chilled in order to appreciate its finesse and aromas to the full. Chilled but not ice-cold! The ideal temperature for a bottle of Champagne is between about 8-10°C.
To get it right, put the bottle in an ice bucket half filled with water and ice, from 20 to 30 minutes before serving. You can also put it in the bottom of the fridge a few hours before you open it.
2)What sort of glass should I enjoy my Champagne in?
People often believe that the best way to serve Champagne is in a flute or coupe. Actually, these two shapes aren’t best suited to expressing its full character! Choose a tall , bulbous glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip. Your Champagne will then be able to deploy all its aromas and fine bubbles.
Of course, if you’d rather serve Champagne in flutes or coupes, what with all the sophistication and imagination that these legendary objects from the Belle Époque and cinema embody, you can do that instead! The glass shape helps concentrate the bubbles and enhance the drinking experience.
3) Opening and serving a bottle of Champagne
Opening a bottle of Champagne can be an impressive sight. The pressure in the bottle can send the cork flying, especially if the bottle has been shaken up a bit... Take care not to hurt somebody! A gentle touch and a little circumspection are in order. If you follow this advice, don’t worry: everything will be fine!
Once it’s at the ideal temperature, around 8-10°C, take the bottle out of the fridge or ice bucket. Wipe it with a cloth if necessary.
The bottle should be placed with the label facing the guest. Score the foil with the knife on the corkscrew, cutting just below the lip, and remove the foil. Then, with your right thumb placed firmly over the cork, remove the wire cage with your left hand. Be very careful to keep a firm grip on the cork and never point the bottle at anyone. Gently extract the cork, letting the wine “breathe,” and avoid making a popping sound. Smell the cork.
Serve a small sip of wine to the guest for tasting. Once the guest confirms, you may proceed with the service, starting with the ladies, then the gentlemen, and finally topping up the glass of the guest who tasted first.
PS: The guest who tastes the wine will be served last, regardless of gender.
4) Storing an open bottle
So lunch is over and there is an unfinished bottle left? Seal it using a stopper cap, specially designed for storing sparkling wines. Then put the bottle in a cool place. It can be placed upright or on its side, either way won’t have an impact on the wine. Watch out though, once opened, a bottle won't keep for long!
It’s been said that putting a little spoon in a bottle of Champagne’s neck will ensure that it keeps. Actually, though, that’s not true at all! So use a special cork instead, that’ll ensure you keep the bubbles bubbling.