How to Uncork Sparkling Wines

Not all of us are well versed with opening a sparkling wine bottle like a Champagne or a Prosecco or a Cava. Uncorking sparkling wines is an art as there is a foil and then a wire that holds the cork at the neck, which when removed deftly without a spill of the precious liquid will get you admirable glances and also a few claps. 

So, here are some tips on opening or uncorking a sparkling wine bottle. Always remember, all sparkling wines should be chilled. This is because when chilled, it condenses the bubbles and holds them in their place.

Remove foil and wire: Take off the foil and one sees a little wire, which has to be loosened up. The wire is also referred to as a cage. Ensure that the tip of your thumb remains on top of the cork, while your hand is holding the cap firmly. To avoid any mishaps, ensure that the thumb always remains at the top of your wire cage. Never make the mistake of taking the wire cage out and then trying to uncork the bottle. On the contrary, you must continue to hold the cage even as you uncork the bottle. You will observe that when the bottle is uncorked, the cage as well as the cork both come out together. 

Uncorking: Do not shake the bottle before you uncork it as according to the French, it is extremely rude to spill Champagne. Originally, as we all know, Champagnes are from France! So, tilt the bottle slightly away from you, while continuing to maintain your grip on the cork. Remember to point the top of the bottle away from you and people around you because there's a lot of pressure inside a bottle of sparkling wine and the cork could fly at any point in time. Give it a slow twist, which leads to easing of pressure on the cork little by little. Keep twisting, finally the bottle is uncorked without spilling.

Watch the above video on How to uncork a bottle of sparkling wine.

Originally published March 22, 2022