Storing and Serving Bubbly
You never know when you'll need a bottle of Champagne to celebrate an event, big or small. Champagne has practically become the universal beverage. Keeping a supply just makes good sense.
How to Keep It When You're Not Drinking It
Champagne is sensitive to temperature and light. Like other wines, it does best stored in a cool, dark place without big temperature fluctuations. You don't need an expensive cooling unit — a 50°F basement usually works fine. Champagne is ready for immediate consumption as soon as it leaves the Champagne house, but if you provide the right conditions for your typical sparkler, it should last for three to four years, if you haven't drunk it by then. Storing it in the refrigerator will not do any damage.
Bubbly is best served between 45° and 50°F. It will take three to four hours in the refrigerator to cool a bottle. But you can quick-chill your Champagne in about 20 minutes by immersing the bottle in ice water. It's faster than ice alone. Half ice and half water in an ice bucket is the way to go. No bucket? The kitchen sink will do.
Popping the Cork
Popping the cork is a great way to grab the attention of the entire room, but it wastes bubbles. The cork should be removed so the sound you hear is a soft sigh. Removing the cork in this slow manner also reduces the risks of killing someone nearby. (After all, there are 70 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure in that bottle!) Here's how to safely open your bottle of Champagne:
Remove the foil covering.
Stand the bottle on a table or counter for support. (It's safer than holding the bottle in your arms and possibly pointing it at someone.)
Get a towel. Keep one hand over the top of the cork with the towel between your hand and the cork. Untwist the wire cage. Remove the wire.
Keep the towel on top of the cork with one hand and put your other hand on the bottle at a point where you have a good grasp.
Turn the bottle — not the cork. You'll feel the cork loosen a bit. Keep a downward pressure on the cork as it completely loosens and finally releases.
Hold the cork over the opened bottle for a few seconds to ensure the Champagne doesn't escape.
Pour!
Germany may not be known for sparkling wines, since most of it is consumed within its own borders. Theirs is called Sekt, and it's made using the charmat method. Riesling is used for the better wines. If the bubbly has been made using just one variety, the grape name will be on the label.
Pour Champagne slowly. Because of the bubbles, the liquid rises quickly, and you can end up with overflow (and wasted Champagne) before you know it.
Drinking Vessels
Because of its rougher surface, crystal produces more bubbles than ordinary glass. If you want the effect of crystal without the expense, do what restaurants do. Lightly scratch an X in the bottom of the inside of the glass with the tip of a knife. This gives the bubbles something to cling to — just like the crystal.
You've undoubtedly seen the sherbet-style glasses that were popular in the 1950s. These glasses are still everywhere, but long-stemmed flutes are the glassware of choice for sparkling wines. The elongated shape and slight narrowing at the rim enhance the flow of bubbles and keep them from escaping.
There's no need to chill the glasses. If you do, they'll just fog up and cloud your view of the bubbles. Also, make sure the glasses are spotlessly clean. Detergent residue can interfere with the bubbles.
