A bottle of Champagne is a celebration in itself…but what if you’re too nervous that the cork will zoom off and hurt someone? Or, in a doomsday scenario, that the whole bottle will fly straight out of your hands? While we certainly love the spectacle of sending a cork flying across the room and showering everyone in fizzy booze, there’s an easier, cleaner and safer way to open a bottle of bubbly. The best part? You don’t have to actually be a wine pro to learn how to open Champagne like a pro. Here’s how to do it in four easy steps.
How to Open Champagne Without Any Drama (or Injuries)
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Published Oct 26, 2022
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How to Open Champagne
Digital Art by Sofia Kraushaar
Step 1: Remove the Foil Wrapper From the Bottle
Most (but not all) sparkling wines are corked the same way, with a foil wrapper covering a wire cage that secures the cork. Before you get any further, you’ll want to remove that foil wrapper and discard it, exposing the cage. Sometimes, the wrapper has a tab for easy removal, but you can also use the foil cutter on a wine key.
Digital Art by Sofia Kraushaar
Step 2: Loosen the Cage (but Don’t Remove It)
The wire cage housing the cork should have a small tab, or key, close to the neck of the wine bottle. Find it, then rotate it counterclockwise until the cage feels loose around the cork—but don’t take it off completely. (The cage keeps the cork from flying out of the bottle and potentially injuring you or your thirsty guests.)
Digital Art by Sofia Kraushaar
Step 3: Start to *Slowly* Remove the Cork
Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle with one hand securing the cage firmly against the cork. Begin to slowly rotate the base of the bottle (and not the cork) until it starts to loosen. Rotating the base instead of the cork might seem clumsy or counterintuitive, but it gives you more control over the cork (as opposed to letting it pop out of the bottle and clear across your kitchen).
Digital Art by Sofia Kraushaar
Step 4: Continue Rotating the Bottle and Holding the Cork Until the Bottle Opens
With the bottle still at a 45-degree angle, continue to slowly and carefully rotate the base while simultaneously applying increasing pressure to the cork and cage with your other hand. The cork should slowly push out with a fsssssz until it removes easily with a subtle pop! Et voilà, you just opened a bottle of Champagne like a seasoned professional—no spills to cleanup or injuries to tend to, either. Grab a few flutes, pour a glass and raise a toast.
How to Store an Open Bottle of Champagne
Unlike still wines, Champagne and other sparkling bottles have a short shelf life. We recommend finishing the bottle the same day you open it (a tall ask, we know). But if you want to savor that celebratory flavor, there are a few tricks you can try. A hermetic cork or Champagne stopper (like this one) will allow you to seal and store the bottle in the fridge, since cold temps are essential to retaining those bubbles. If you don’t have the right stopper, tightly wrap the bottle opening with plastic wrap and a rubber band before stashing it in the fridge.
3 Essential Tips for Opening Champagne:
- Make sure the bottle is really cold. Before you even attempt to open that bottle, you’ll want to make sure it’s very cold—about 45°F. Sure, sparkling wine generally tastes better when served colder, but this will also prevent that precious vino from foaming up and spilling oven the bottle when you open it. (Science lesson: Warmer carbonated liquid foams up more than cold because it can’t contain as much dissolved gas.)
- Use a towel for extra protection. The wire cage is designed to prevent the cork from violently flying out of the bottle, but it’s not entirely foolproof. To ensure you won’t break a window or someone’s nose, you can drape a dish towel oven the bottle and hold it firmly over the opening. It will give you a better grip and catch the cork once it pops.
- Aim the bottle in the right direction. Even with the most sound instructions, accidents do happen. You should never aim the Champagne bottle at a person (including yourself) or anything valuable.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
