How should I open a bottle of Champagne?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
I’ve heard that when you open a bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine, there should be a soft “kiss.” Is it rude to open a bottle with a loud “pop”?
—George, American Canyon, Calif.
Dear George,
It depends on the scenario. If you’re in the locker room of your favorite baseball team and they’ve just won the World Series, the bubbly is meant to be showered around, and corks will be flying. Hopefully everyone in there is wearing protective eye gear.
If you’re in public, especially in a formal setting, popping a cork might be considered rude and disruptive—or even triggering for people who are sensitive to loud noises.
The usual way to open a bottle of bubbly is as quietly and safely as possible. This is certainly the case in formal wine service in a restaurant. There’s a lot of pressure in a bottle of sparkling wine—about three times the pressure in a car tire. If you’re not careful and fully in control of the cork as it comes out of the bottle, it can go flying and seriously injure someone (or break something valuable). Also, opening a bottle of bubbly so that the cork makes a loud pop can mean that some of the wine escapes the bottle—both a waste of wine and a mess.
Here’s how to open a bottle of bubbly as quietly and cleanly as possible. First, get that bottle really cold—carbon dioxide is more soluble at lower temperatures, so the wine will be less likely to fizz, and the cork will be less prone to popping out before you want it to.
Once your bottle is nice and cold, remove any foil around the closure. Then, loosen the wire cage from the top of the bottle, but don’t remove it entirely. At this stage, it’s advisable to keep one thumb on top of the loosened cage, in case the cork decides to attempt a premature escape. I then like to use a napkin, cloth or even paper towel to grab hold of the cork and cage. I keep my dominant paw over the cork the whole time, while slowly twisting the bottle with the other.
Never point the cork toward your face (or anyone else’s), or toward anything you wouldn’t want to take a hit from a flying projectile (that means fancy light fixtures, chandeliers, your mother-in-law’s precious china ... you get the idea). I hold the bottle at around a 45-degree angle and point it toward a safe corner of the room. Slowly, I twist the bottle while holding on to the cork and cage, and as soon as I feel the cork starting to move upward, I offer some resistance by gently pressing down. If all goes well, the bottle should sigh quietly when the cork comes out—that’s the “kiss” you’re looking for.
Of course, if you’re somewhere between a quiet restaurant and a celebratory locker room—say, an outdoor birthday party—you should feel free to control the cork a little bit less and let it make a louder noise. There’s nothing wrong with a little celebratory pop every now and then. And if you’re feeling truly dramatic, you could always give sabering a try!
—Dr. Vinny
