Don’t let the extra effort involved with opening a bottle of Champagne keep you from experiencing one of life’s great pleasures. The secret to a safe and proper cork popping is all in the wrist.
First make sure that the bottle of sparkling wine is properly chilled. Aside from losing its crisp, refreshing nature, a warm temperature will increase expansion of the gas inside the bottle, which will produce foaming when opened and result in a loss of some of the wine. The best serving temperature is around 45°F. If you need to chill a bottle quickly, fill a bucket with ice and water and stick the bottle inside for about 15 minutes.
Once you have removed the foil on the top of the bottle and loosened the wire cage that surrounds the cork, hold a kitchen towel in your palm facing up, and grasp the cork with the towel. (You could remove the wire cage entirely or simply twist the hasp open enough times to loosen it.)
The purpose of the towel is to help prevent the cork from flying away from the bottle as it is opened and to catch any Champagne that may spill out immediately after.
Here is where the wrist action comes in. Hold the fat part of the bottle in your free hand while still gripping the cork with the other. You may want to place the thumb over the cork and, to be safe, apply just a little pressure downward on the cork. Now slowly turn the bottle, not the cork. Continue to hold onto the cork until it is completely removed.
Here is where you may be tempted to pull the cork, which is normal because we all open bottles of still wine by pulling on the cork, not the bottle. The reasons for twisting the bottle instead are to reduce the chance of breaking the cork in two pieces and also to have greater control in the process of popping the cork. A cork can become a dangerous projectile if allowed to get loose from your hand.
You’ll know if you opened the bottle properly if you hear a soft, muffled “pop” rather than a sharp, New Year’s Eve-type “crack.” The softer the “pop,” the more carbon dioxide gas you preserved, which is what makes this wine special.
Pour only about an ounce of the sparkling wine into the glass, preferably a tall flute or tulip-shaped glass. Wait for the initial rise of bubbles to subside, then pour again until about two-thirds of the glass is full and keep the bottle in the ice bucket between pouring.
Think about serving Champagne on any occasion, not only for special events and New Year celebrations. It’s perfect for the arrival of guests, as an apéritif, or even with fresh fruit for dessert. You can also enjoy Champagne with so many different foods. Some of the favorite pairings are with oysters, mild cheeses and light hors d’oeuvres. It takes only a little more effort to get started with Champagne, but you and your guests will always appreciate it.  

Len Napolitano lives in Central Coast wine country and is certified in wine by the Society of Wine Educators, Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and Chicago Wine School and continually gains knowledge from his frequent contact with California winemakers. More information is on his website, www.wineology.co . Send your questions about wine to: wineologist@earthlink.net or by mail to Len Napolitano in care of Wine Country This Week magazine. Wineology is a registered trademark of Len Napolitano.
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