How to Serve your Champagne
With the Christmas season fast approaching and after more than a year of not celebrating it seems likely that everyone will be wanting to pop a few Christmas Champagne bottles this year. So, let’s make sure when you do, you have the best Champagne serving guide.
Get everything ready
Champagne is best served cold
Champagne is a refreshment and as such shouldn’t be served too warm. The best champagne serving temperature is between 6-8 degrees C so it’s a bit warmer than your fridge.
Decide what glass to serve in
We’d suggest not drinking from a coupe it gets warm very quickly the bubbles escape faster - although it does look deliciously decadent and I often serve bubbly in couples if I am in the company of peacocks!
Don’t decant Champagne
Wine is put in a carafe to better express the aromas because you increase the contact with the air and oxygen. This is not needed in champagne, except In the case of very very old champagne (not necessarily vintage champagne) but that is so rare an occasion as not to warrant Inclusion. For conventional bubbly, it is a case of open, pour and quaff!
How to Open a Champagne Bottle
We’ve outlined some steps that will make sure opening your bottle of Champagne will be mess and embarrassment-free.
Hold the bottle
Hold the bottle of champagne at a 45-degree angle. Make sure you are pointing it in a safe direction away from eyes, people, or expensive paintings, or glass/ceramic objects. Hold the bottle at the bottom or base and NOT around the neck.
Remove the foil
Most bottles have a small visible tab, which will allow you to remove the foil completely with your free hand.
Loosen the Wire Cage
You can loosen the wire cage by unwinding the folded in-key. Don’t remove it completely because from this point on you will need to keep your thumb pressed on the top to prevent an eager cork from escaping.
Prepare the Napkin
Place the napkin or cloth over the bottle's cork, this both adds a touch of class and prevents spillage.
Turn the Bottle
Now hold the bottle firmly at the base whilst making sure it’s still at 45°. Start to carefully rotate the base and not the cork until it’s about halfway. Gently wiggle the cork if it needs a little help.
Ease the cork out
As the cork begins to release, you’ll start to feel pressure on the cork from inside the bottle. Don’t just let it pop out but keep applying pressure and ease it out gently. Hold the bottle at 45° for a few seconds afterward so the pressure releases without causing the Champagne to foam. Keep the napkin above the bottle to catch any overflow. It should release with a gentle sigh - or a ladylike fart - as opposed to a vigorous pop
How to pour Champagne
- Hold a glass with your free hand at 45°angle and pour down the side of the glass
- The experts would hold two fingers splayed on the bottle and their thumb in the punt at the bottom of the bottle - also known as the "thumb up the bum" technique
- Pour a modest amount in the bottom of each glass and let the foaming subside before topping up to between a half and two thirds, depending on the glass size
- And end with a quick twist to catch any drips from the neck
That's it for now!
Alastair Harrison, Founder of Park Lane Champagne
About Park Lane Champagne
For over 25 years we’ve helped our customers celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, events, and staff in style with a range of products including personalised champagne, personalised wine, personalised whisky, and gift hampers.
