There’s no doubt that the champagne will be flowing over the next several months, with the summer wedding season set to begin and barbecues galore around the country. So, it would be wise to consider if you drink champagne like an expert or a rookie. After all, you wouldn’t want to come off as someone who doesn’t even know how to hold a champagne glass, right?
Sure, you’re probably familiar with the world of champagne and wine drinking. In fact, you might also be well-versed in how to purchase champagne from various online retailers. Are you, however, sipping champagne the right way? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here is everything you need to know to drink champagne like an expert!
1. Select The Right Glass
This is one of the best tried and tested champagne drinking tips that you should follow for an overall better drinking experience!
Champagne tastes the best when served in a white wine glass. The wide bowl of a white wine glass helps the champagne open up in the glass, allowing you to appreciate all of its scents and richness a whole lot better.
Traditional champagne flutes are ideal for displaying the champagne’s stream of bubbles, but their narrow form limits the scents and sensations that the drinker can appreciate. On the other hand, coupe glasses are a completely different story; the glass’s extra-wide lets in more air, allowing champagne aromas and bubbles to escape the wine glass quickly!
2. Open Your Champagne Bottle Correctly
Make sure you keep the cage intact on your favorite bottle of bubbly when you open it! The cage gives you leverage and helps you separate the cork from the bottle. As a result, you’ll have more control over the cork, so it doesn’t fly out when you pop it.
Furthermore, when removing the cork, twist the wire six times while holding the top of the cage with your thumb to keep the cork in place. Then, using one hand, keep the cage and cork together while twisting the bottle’s base in a circular motion away from the cork.
Moreover, you can also prepare a small towel and a glass to open the bottle in addition to the bottle itself. First, remove the wire cage on top of the cork to open the bottle, then place the towel over the top to gently push out the cork at a 45-degree angle. Instead of letting the cork pop open loudly, the aim is to let the towel catch it while it’s being pushed out silently. After all, the first thing you need to do to drink champagne like an expert is to open your champagne bottle like a pro!
Pro tip: Remove the cork by turning the bottle instead of the cork itself. It will give you more control over your champagne bottle.
3. Store Your Champagne Bottle Properly
Some people say that it should be kept in the refrigerator as far as storage is concerned. Sure, If you plan to drink your bottle of champagne right away (within 3 or 4 days of purchase), it’s safe to keep it in the refrigerator. However, because refrigerators have little to no humidity, the cork might dry out if left there for more than weeks.
Such a thing happens because the seal between the bottle and the cork loosens as the corks dry out, causing the champagne to oxidize faster. So instead, store it somewhere cool and dark in your house to preserve flavor and aroma!
4. Use The Right Pouring Technique
Not much of a game-changer, but pouring your champagne properly will allow you to enjoy it in all its glory. Fill your glass roughly one-third full with champagne when pouring it. It will get too warm and ruin your drinking experience if you pour too much at once.
5. Pair It When The Best Foods
Also, don’t be hesitant to try new meal combinations. For example, champagne goes well with oysters and caviar and more informal food items such as cheese, fried chicken, and truffle fries.
Champagne experts also tend to pair up dishes such as lobsters, tacos, and burgers with their favorite drink! Besides this, champagne pairs well with fatty, salty, and oily foods because they bring out the champagne’s fruitiness and freshness.
6. Savor Every Sip
Probably one of the best champagne drinking tips – You want to savor the moment rather than just take a sip when it comes to champagne.
Inhale the aroma before taking a sip, and consume it to your liking. Then, before swallowing, slowly swish it around in your mouth and feel the bubbles on your lips. Continue to sip away slowly and try not to drink too quickly, as this will cause you to become intoxicated quicker.
7. Care For An Open Bottle Of Champagne
Use a nice champagne stopper in between pours to save all the delightful bubbles. Use plastic wrap or recork it if you don’t have a good stopper. Although it is suggested that the entire bottle be consumed in one sitting, a champagne stopper can keep the champagne fresh till the next day.
8. Pour Your Champagne Correctly
When you buy champagne online, you may not realize it, but pouring champagne is an art form in and of itself. Francoise Peretti, head of the Champagne Bureau UK, suggests keeping the flow constant while holding the champagne bottle at a 45-degree angle.
Before you finish pouring, it’s better to let the bubbles come to a halt and settle down. Pouring the champagne in multiple steps, depending on how bubbly it is and the size of the glass, might be helpful as well to preserve flavor.
Wrapping It Up
If you have a bottle of champagne tucked away inside your fridge, don’t wait to drink it on a special occasion. You’ll notice that opening that bottle of champagne will bring that special occasion to you. So, follow the champagne drinking tips mentioned in this article, and drink champagne like an expert today!