Is there anything more joyful than serving a glass of Champagne in the correct manner? Wherever it came from, this ceremonial rite is an invariable delight to those in the know and a veritable wonder to the uninitiated. When it comes to serving “the wine of kings” properly and providing your guests with an unforgettable tasting experience, there are a few key steps to bear in mind. As the Christmas season approaches, this good practice guide is sure to come in handy.
At what temperature should Champagne be served?
Before serving champagne, you must ensure the bottle is at an optimal temperature, that is, between 8-10° and between 10-12° for rosé champagnes, vintages and old champagnes.
If your bottle has come straight from the cellar, it will need to spend a few hours in the fridge. Served too warm and the foam will gush out everywhere. Ice cold and the wine will lose all its effervescence as well as its aromatic bouquet. At the table, a champagne bucket with ice cubes in is the ideal solution for keeping your wine at the right temperature.
What is the best glass to drink champagne from?
When it comes to champagne, it’s all about the nuance, delicatesse and subtlety. So, the container has a major influence on how the wine is perceived. The fairly widespread, tall flutes are not, in fact, ideal for enjoying champagne, whereas coupes, white wine and tulip glasses are perfect. Their carefully designed curves will transcribe the soul of the wine and pay homage to the meticulous work of vinification. This type of glass also allows the champagne to oxygenate leisurely so guests can enjoy discovering the structure, aromas, depth and vinosity of the champagne.
Present the bottle to the guests
Presenting the champagne bottle to your guests just before serving it, letting them take in the carefully crafted label and mentioning a few words on the specifics of the selected wine – think terroir(s) of origin, grape varieties, length of ageing or dosage – will arouse curiosity and enhance their enjoyment.
Open the bottle
And now for the big reveal. To open the precious bottle, you must first gently remove the capsule, the foil covering the cork. Next, the muselet must be undone, by untwisting the so-called ‘eyelet’ on the wire cage wrapped around the cork. Together, the muselet and cork must then be held firmly by one hand, while the other hand holds the bottle by the bottom.
It is the bottle, not the cork, that should then be turned gently until the celebratory sound of the cork is heard. Today, it is preferable to open the bottle silently and under control, because corks are capable of popping at up to 25mph. So caution is advised!
Have someone taste it
To ensure the temperature and quality of the wine is as it should be, pour a third of a glass for one of the guests. Once they give their nod of approval, service is usually done in two stages. Champagne is served slowly and steadily, according to the famous adage ‘in medio stat virtus’ – virtue lays in the middle. Glasses should be two-thirds full to allow the aromas to fully develop. In a glass that is too full, the wine is too close to the surrounding air, which will hinder full appreciation of the wine’s aromatic palette. It is better to top up your guests regularly.
If guests are to sample several vintages, the glasses must be changed with the uncorking of each bottle to prevent the specificities of each wine from interfering with each other.
Clink glasses
In France, this tradition goes back to the Middle Ages, a time when betrayals were frequent. In clinking glasses, some of one’s liquid would spill into the glass of another. This made it possible to spot treacherous souls.
Savour
In the glass, champagne displays an unparalleled sensory spectacle. When raising the glass to the ear, the joyful murmur produced by the droplets released by the carbon dioxide and by the dissolving of the foam is utterly charming to hear. By tilting it slightly, the hue of the champagne is revealed, and delicately twirling the glass between your fingers releases the aromatic bouquet. From the very first sips, the wine envelops the palate, the bubbles bursting gently in the mouth, revealing texture, effervescence, structure, balance and substance. And even though the exercise remains a subjective and very personal one, tasting is an art to which every guest can be introduced.
Enjoy a moment in time
Champagne wine is steeped in rich and complex symbolism. The notion of time is part of that. After all, isn’t the raison d’être of champagne to accompany great occasions, little celebrations, dream occasions, lifetime moments, wonderful opportunities, defining instants…and all those moments in time that bring joy to life?
