How To Chill, Open, Pour & Drink Champagne

When you buy something using the affiliate links on our site, we may earn a small commission.

This quick guide is all about how to drink champagne, I discuss how to chill it, how to open the bottle, how to pour it, how to drink it, and most importantly, how to enjoy it. To find out what bottles are worth their money, take a look here and to learn more about the sparkling wine in general head over here. To find out how to pair champagne check out this guide.

If you wonder if an expensive champagne is even worth it in the first place, watch this video here.

First of all, when should you and when should you not drink champagne?

I like to keep withLily Bollinger of the famous namesake champagne house. She said, ” I only drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes, I drink it whenI’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it unless I’m thirsty.” In short, you can always drink it if you feel like it.

Various Bottles of Champagne
Various Bottles of Champagne

So what temperature should you serve champagne at? Between 46- 50ºF

Short answer, not too chilled but cool. More specifically, most champagnes are good at 46 degrees Fahrenheit or about 8 degrees Celsius.

For vintage champagnes, it changes a bit to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit or about 10 degrees Celsius.

If your champagne is too cold or too warm, you miss out on some flavors. To get that temperature, it should be about 3-4 hours in the fridge or about 15-20 minutes into an ice bucket. If you do not have that much time, you can add salt to the ice bucket, and it will cool down into just about 5 minutes.

Champagne Explosion After Corking
Champagne Explosion After Corking

So how do you open a bottle of champagne? There are 2 options.

The traditional one is to do the sabrage. Personally, I’ve done it once, it is a huge mess, and it is more of a show.

A better way to open champagne is to take the bottle and remove the foil as well as the wire cage and the muzzle on top. Most of the time, there is a little lip where you can open the foil, if you can’t, just take a wine opener and cut it open. Hold the bottle in your right hand if you are right-handed, the left one if you are left-handed. The cork always on the opposite hand. Now, twist the bottle from the bottom and slightly tilt on the cork until it pops. You will hear it and don’t shake the bottle beforehand. Otherwise, the champagne will be all over. If you have bad luck, the cork may even hit someone, or maybe a chandelier.

How To Pour Champagne
How To Pour Champagne

So how should you pour champagne? First of all, what glass should you use?

Back in the day, people favored a flat kind of coupe style glass because champagne often had a lot of carbonation and sometimes they would even use a swizzle stick to get rid of all the bubbles. That way, everything in the champagne is quite controlled so you don’t have any excess bubbles, and you can use different glasses.

The most popular style is probably the champagne flute which is very elegant and stylish. That being said, in recent years, regular wine glasses have become a lot more popular especially for vintage champagnes because supposedly, they help you to discern flavors better.

At the end of the day, simply go with the glass you have or the one you like most.

When you pour champagne, most people hold it by the neck or in the middle. The most elegant way is to put your thumb to the back hole of the bottom of the bottle and then pour it. Ideally, you hold the glass at an angle and slowly pour it down then you wait a little bit until the foam has subsided and then you top it off. You always want the glass to be about half full if its a flute, a little less if it’s a wine glass.

Smell the champagne
Smell the champagne

Never fill a champagne glass all the way up, it just shows you don’t know what you are doing. Also, avoid pouring too fast because it will likely come out of the glass and it will take longer to fill the glass.

Do it slowly at an angle and then straight up, never just plain into the glass when it is standing on the table. If you pour champagne that way, you should get about 7-8 glasses per bottle. That may help you in your calculations.

Of course, if you get a magnum bottle which is one and a half liters, you get twice as many glasses.

Swirl it around in your mouth, a little bit like mouth wash and focus on the flavors
Swirl it around in your mouth, a little bit like mouth wash and focus on the flavors

How To Drink Champagne?

First, look at the champagne. If it is a very light golden color, it means it is a younger champagne. If it is darker, more golden, or yellow, it means it’s an older, more ripen champagne.

2. Smell the champagne. Hold your nose over it and see what you can smell. There are five aroma groups. Flowers, vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, indulgent delicacies.

3. Now it’s time to taste the champagne. Take a little sip, let it roll down your tongue, down the palate. Wine tasters typically swirl the champagne around their mouth just like you do with mouthwash, that way, you get the full flavor experience.

Last but not the least, pay attention to the finish when it rolls down your palate. The longer the flavor lingers in your mouth, the more high end, the more expensive the champagne will be.

Alright, that is all you need to know. Now, off and enjoy your champagne.

Reader Comments

  1. I’ve read many of your posts with interest, but this one makes me wonder as to the credibility of your advice in general! Your instructions on opening and pouring champagne are absolutely incorrect, and perhaps even dangerous! I would advise that readers of this post seek out a more reliable source elsewhere.

    1. Hey Patrick, what do you mean by incorrect and dangerous???? Are your referring to the saber stunt?

  2. You’re welcome to open your bottle in any way you like. I have opened several hundred this way without endangering anyone or anything :)

  3. Hi Sven, a limit more information.
    There are always six anti clockwise twists on the wire opener in both Champagne and sparkling wines. The dent in the bottom of the bottle is a punt. Otherwise, all good, especially the move the wine glasses, Small ones. Happy New Year, Mike

  4. If in Western Europe inc UK buy your Brut Champagne at the awesome discount shops such as LIDL, ALDI, NETTO etc.
    They but champagne in such massive quanties that makes them offer really superb champage at between 10/15 euros.
    No need to spend more and in “blind” test by professionals in UK these brands often come up top !
    Regarding glasses I prefer to 1920/30s style coupe. They are now making a comeback in Europe but difficult to locate.
    I buy mine second hand in street markets, brocantes or depot de ventes in France & Belgium. Nothing too fancy but a nice form.

  5. I love your outfit in this video, very festive and also looks comfortable. Good stuff!

  6. I love your articles and video’s. They are a great inspiration and very helpful. But this time I think you got it wrong a bit, to open a bottle of champagne. Always hold your thumb on top of the cork, to make sure it doesn’t pup open. Did you know that about 16 people die every year from champagne corks that hit people the wrong way. Even when loosening the metal protection don’t let go of the cork. After removing the metal protection hold the bottle in an angle of about 45° so you can see the air pocket on top. Then twist the bottle and not the cork. Hold the cork very tight so it doesn’t pup out. Gently let the cork come up until you hear the whisper of the Angle from inside of the bottle. Never let the cork pup out. Certainly not with a bottle of $500 and more. It would be a big waist to spill the preciously made heavenly drink. Enjoy and have a Amazing New Year from Belgium

Comments are closed.