How To Open Champagne Correctly: How To Do It Without Cotton, What To Do If The Cork On The Bottle Breaks

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

How to open champagne: we make it simple and beautiful

Champagne is traditionally an important attribute of the festive table. It has an unsurpassed taste, aroma and millions of bubbles sparkling merrily in a beautiful glass. The grand opening of the bottle marks the start of the holiday, reminiscent of a cannon salvo, after which the real fun begins. However, the process of removing the cork itself sometimes causes a slight panic among people who do not know how to do it correctly. Failure to open the bottle can lead to dire consequences. In this case, half of the contents of the container, accidentally spilled on the floor, will be the most insignificant of them. Everyone can learn how to beautifully open a bottle of champagne, it is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

Content

• 1 Nuances that ensure easy opening of sparkling wines

  • 1.1 Proper cooling
  • 1.2 Plastic stopper
  • 1.3 Wood cork

• 2 Ways to properly open a champagne bottle

  • 2.1 Opening a bottle without cotton - step by step instructions with a photo

    2.1.1 How to open champagne without cotton - video

  • 2.2 Safe and neat bottle opening option for girls

    2.2.1 Video tutorial - how to open champagne for a girl

  • 2.3 Opening a cotton bottle

    2.3.1 Video tutorial - open champagne with cotton

  • 2.4 Opening a bottle with a cork shot
  • 2.5 How to open champagne with a glass - video

  • 2.6 If the plug is broken

    • 2.6.1 Opening the bottle with a corkscrew
    • 2.6.2 We use a self-tapping screw
    • 2.6.3 How to open champagne with a knife
    • 2.6.4 Removing the cork with thin pliers
    • 2.6.5 Opening champagne with a blunt object
    • 2.6.6 Opening in Hussar Style
    • 2.6.7 Video on how to open champagne in Hussar style
• 3 More tips from the forums

Nuances that make sparkling wines easy to open

A loud shot with a cork flying out of a champagne bottle is not at all a sign of good form. According to the existing rules, it is the quiet cotton that testifies to the high quality of the drink and the ability to present it. For this procedure to be successful, it is necessary to ensure that the bottle of sparkling wine is prepared before serving. Observing the existing rules, even a beginner can open wine.

Proper cooling

Before serving, a bottle of champagne must be cooled to an optimal temperature of no more than 4–8 º C. For this purpose, you can use a special bucket - a cooler, pre-filled with ice water. This cooling method will allow you to achieve the required temperature within 30-40 minutes. Cooling the bottle with ice alone will take much longer.

An ice cooler will cool the sparkling drink in 30-40 minutes

Cooling champagne in the refrigerator can be just as successful. However, you should not put the bottle in the freezer. As a result of gradual cooling, the drink will reach the desired temperature after 6 hours.

Champagne is completely cooled in the refrigerator after 6 hours

If you don't have ice and a refrigerator at hand, you can cool the drink with cold running water. However, this method will not provide complete cooling, but will completely reduce the temperature to 10 ° C.

Plastic stopper

The technical conditions for the production of champagne presuppose the use of exclusively cork stoppers. If it is made of plastic, then you are holding an inauthentic champagne wine. Such drinks are distinguished by the presence of a large amount of carbon dioxide, which contributes to strong foaming.

The plastic stopper is not used to seal the authentic champagne

To safely open the bottle, it is necessary to smoothly unscrew the cork. Usually, its extraction does not require much effort, since it moves due to gas pressure. Your task is only to ensure control over the position of the vessel. At the moment when the cork leaves the neck completely, the bottle should be tilted slightly to ensure that carbon dioxide slowly escapes to the outside.

Regardless of the type of cork, the bottle of sparkling wine is stored only horizontally.

Wood cork

Wines that undergo natural champagne are traditionally sealed exclusively with wooden corks. These drinks do not create high pressure inside the bottle, making the uncorking process easier without the need for cotton.

The cork is more than just a stopper. Essentially, it is a filter through which wine breathes in order to live and develop.

After unscrewing the wire, it is necessary to ensure the fixation of the cork with the left hand, while simultaneously holding the bottle by the bottom and turning with the right hand. When the cork is almost out of the bottle, you need to reduce the speed of its advance. This will avoid a shot.

The corkscrew is usually not used when opening champagne. However, there are cases in which the cork can break, which will significantly complicate further manipulations. It is in such a situation that a special corkscrew for champagne bottles can come to the rescue.

Such an unusual corkscrew has a convenient mechanism that allows you to easily open champagne bottles

In addition, you should never shake the bottle before opening the champagne. This is permissible only if you wish to redeem yourself and the wine splashes present in the fountain.

The tradition of pouring champagne on winners was introduced by Dan Gurney in 1967, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans marathon

Ways to properly open a champagne bottle

According to professional sommeliers, champagne should not "pop". Its correct opening is accompanied by "whispering" caused by the process of gas evolution. Uncorking a bottle with a loud pop is certainly a very effective option, however, in higher circles it is completely unacceptable.

Opening a bottle without cotton - step by step instructions with a photo

1. To open champagne according to all the rules, you first need to remove the foil from the bottle by pulling on the special tab. If not, use a sharp object such as a knife or a corkscrew and gently pry the foil in any convenient place.

   

   Before opening the bottle, remove the foil from the bottle by pulling the tab

2. Then gently unscrew the muzelé (wire retainer). Hold the plug with your thumb to prevent an unwanted shot.

   

   To remove the muzlet - the fixing wire - it is necessary to make 6 turns

3. A chilled bottle in a warm room will instantly become covered with condensation. It instantly becomes wet and slippery. In order not to let it out of your hands, use a napkin or towel. In addition, the towel will help to better control the traffic jam and at the same time protect others from its sudden "flight" to the other end of the room. It is necessary to wrap the neck with a small margin near the cork itself, this will provide it with the ability to move.

   

   Wrapping the neck of a bottle of champagne with a napkin will prevent it from slipping out of your hands at the moment of opening

4. Set the bottle at a 45 degree tilt. Holding it firmly, begin to slowly unscrew the plug. At a certain moment, you will feel how the cork itself begins to move forward due to the internal pressure in the bottle. Allow it to leave the neck on its own, catching and holding back with a "pocket" of the towel. After completing the procedure, all that remains is to pour the champagne into glasses.

How to open champagne without cotton - video

Safe and neat bottle opening option for girls

Even girls can cope with opening a bottle of champagne, following fairly simple rules.

Any girl can master the technique of opening a bottle of champagne

1. Put the chilled bottle on the table, after wrapping it with a napkin and holding it below the neck.
2. Then, after covering the cork with a towel, begin to slowly unscrew it.
3. As soon as the plug completely comes out of the neck, hold it a little longer, finally releasing the excess gas. This will prevent the possibility of pops and also allow you to safely open the bottle without any extra effort. This method is the simplest, most reliable and safe.

Video tutorial - how to open champagne for a girl

Opening a bottle with cotton

To open a bottle of champagne with soft cotton, you must:

1. Cool the drink to a temperature of 6–8º C;
2. Tilt the vessel at an angle of 45º C. Remove the muselle and foil, clamp the cork with one hand and start rotating the bottle with the other;
3. As soon as the cork starts to move towards the exit on its own, you need to gently tilt the bottle, which will release the gas. Open the container with a pleasant cotton.

Video tutorial - open champagne with cotton

Opening a bottle with a cork shot

If you want to make a lasting impression on your guests with a spectacular cork shot, you need to break some of the tips described above. However, this option of uncorking presupposes compliance with safety rules, since a cork flying out under pressure can cause injury to people nearby, as well as cause damage to property.

1. To prevent such situations, do not direct the neck of the bottle at people, as well as at easily breakable objects, including household appliances. In addition, at the moment of opening, there is a possibility that some of the drink will spill on the floor. Consider these factors in advance.
2. For the "theatrical" opening of a bottle with cotton, you need to shake it slightly, then remove the wrapper and muzlet. Let the cork pop out of the neck on its own without holding it tightly. The accumulated gases trying to escape quickly will provide the desired cotton.
3. After such an opening, it is advisable to instantly pour the contents of the bottle into glasses.

Opening the bottle with the cork off produces a mesmerizing effect

Another method for uncorking a bottle of champagne with cotton requires a minimum of action on the part of the sommelier. However, in this case, the ceiling of the room may suffer, since the cork is not held by anyone.

1. To do this, you need to put slightly chilled bottles of champagne on the table, having previously freed them from foil and muzle.
2. Wait a while. Gradually heating containers will shoot with corks on their own, while not a single drop of the drink will spill on the surface of the countertop.

How to open champagne with a glass - video

If the plug is broken

Sometimes there are unforeseen situations in which the plug, being in the neck, can break. There are several ways to open a bottle of champagne:

• in hussar;
• using a corkscrew;
• using a self-tapping screw;
• using a knife;
• using a thin blunt object;
• removing the cork piece by piece.

Opening the bottle with a corkscrew

If the broken cork is made of plastic, it will be enough to shake the bottle and it will fly out by itself under the pressure of air. A corkscrew equipped with a fine spiral with a sharp end is perfect for cork stoppers. A thick spiral will only complicate the extraction process. A stationary spin is no less effective in this case. However, it is not cheap, so its purchase is advisable only on condition of constant use.

We use a self-tapping screw

If you can't open the bottle with a corkscrew, a long self-tapping screw can be a great alternative. Then, armed with pliers, you need to slowly pull the screw up, gradually releasing the gases accumulated in the bottle.

Step-by-step removal of a broken plug using a self-tapping screw

How to open champagne with a knife

First you need to cut off the remnants of the top of the cork and push it a little inside the bottle. Then hit the bottom of the vessel with your palm so that the cork pops out on its own.

Use a knife to remove the broken cork with extreme caution.

Remove the cork with thin pliers

If none of the above options provide the desired result, you can remove the cork using fine pliers. This option will take a lot of time. When pouring champagne into glasses, you may need to use a strainer. This will prevent pieces of cork from getting into the glasses.

Opening champagne with a blunt object

A hole must be made in the broken plug to release excess carbon dioxide. This will reduce the internal pressure in the bottle. Then the remnants of the cork are pressed inward using any thin and blunt object at hand.

When using a thin, blunt object to open a bottle of champagne, you may need to strain the drink through a strainer that can trap pieces of cork in the bottle.

Squeezing a broken cork with a marker

We open in hussar style

This option for opening a bottle of champagne is used not only in the case of a broken cork. The sabrage technique is widely used in many ceremonies and requires some experience from the sommelier. You can master it at home, however, this option is very dangerous for beginners. The name of the method comes from the English word "saber", which means "saber" in Russian.

When opening a bottle of champagne in a hussar style, movements must be precise and confident

The method itself is based on sliding the tip of the saber along the surface of the bottle towards its neck. Then the master with all his might strikes the blade on the protruding ring on the neck, so that its upper part, together with the cork, flies to the side.

Opening a bottle of champagne using the sabrage method is widely used in many ceremonies

With this opening of the bottle, cutting movements are not performed; the success of the operation depends on the accuracy and force of the impact.

1. If you want to reproduce such a technique, you need to take care of the appropriate instrumentation. The chosen saber must have a decent weight, as well as a short blade. In some cases, a massive kitchen knife can act as an alternative.
2. The weapon should be held with one hand, using only the back of the blade.
3. In the other hand, you need to hold the bottle of champagne by its lower part, having previously freed the container from the fixing wire and foil.

4. Then it is necessary to reproduce the touch and sliding of the blade along the bottle until it rests against the bulge on its neck. With a strong blow that completes this movement, the edge of the neck breaks off, after which some of the contents of the bottle should be allowed to pour out. This will wash away small debris.

   

   Opening a bottle with a saber requires some experience from the sommelier

When performing such a trick, you need to make sure that the severed neck does not fly at any of the people. Moreover, the saber itself is a very dangerous object, capable of causing harm if mishandled. After completing the opening of the bottle, do not touch its neck, in order to avoid getting cuts by its sharp edges.

Video on how to open champagne in hussar style

A few more tips from the forums

The skills that allow you to properly and beautifully uncork champagne will be useful to anyone who knows a lot about the taste of this exquisite drink. The correct opening of the bottle will decorate the festive celebration and raise your authority in the eyes of those present.