How To Open A Bottle Of Champagne

The countdown is on and it’s getting closer to midnight. For many, that means it’s time for some bubbly beverages.

Steve Weiss, the store manager of BevMo!, showed NewsChannel 3 the proper way to open a bottle.

“We have over 500 sparkling wines and champagnes from all over the world, including the Champagne region of France,” said Weiss.

Some of the bottles come with a hefty price tag.

“This one runs about $270,” said Weiss as he showed off a gold bottle of champagne.

But not all the bottles are that pricey. Some are in the range of around $10.

Whatever bottle you chose, there are some tips to use to avoid an exploding bottle of champagne or sparkling wine that can turn into an expensive mishap.

“The cost per ounce can be rather high as we said, up in the $300 range, so you really want to make sure you open it properly to get every last ounce of that wine,” said Weiss.

The BevMo! manager has a few simple tips to make the process go smoothly.

Tip one: make sure the bottle is chilled.

“Warmer sparkling wines tend to overflow the bottle, even if you’re not shaking it up,” he said.

Tip two: remove the foil cover.

Tip three: keep your thumb on the cork and untwist the metal wrap.

“Loosen that up … But you want to leave the cage on,” he suggests.

“A lot of people think you have to have to twist the cork out, but that’s not what you want to do. You want to twist the bottle.”

And with a small pop, the cork came out and not a drop was lost.

Weiss suggests pouring the champagne until the bubble reach about three-quarters of the way up and wait for the bubbles to settle. Then pour once more.

For a list of champagne cocktails, click here.