Drinking sparkling wine is an experience, and you might be doing it an injustice by not serving it the way it should be served. Sparkling wine, specifically champagne, makes for an excellent wine during celebrations, so it must live up to its reputation from start to finish. 

Here is everything you need to know about how you should best serve sparkling wine.

How to Serve Sparkling Wine

Here are some tips that you can follow to gain the maximum benefits from your sparkling wine. it must be experienced in all its glory; therefore, you must be mindful of each step from start to finish.

The Glass to Serve It In 

The vessel you drink sparkling wine from plays a big role in its overall feel and taste; therefore, this step must not be skipped. The glass should be thin, no more than one mm thick, and clear to appreciate the bubbliness of your wine. Sparkling wine may be served in the following shapes of glasses, and you may choose which one you prefer:

Flute 

This is an elegant glass with a narrow bowl and a slender stem. This is more suited for those who like more fizz in their wine, as the thin bowl retains most of the bubbliness of the wine. The disadvantage, though, is there is little exposure to oxygen upon swirling and, hence there is less development of depth and flavor of the wine. This glass is best used for simpler wines that are younger and light bodied.

Coupe 

Referred to as the ‘champagne saucer’ and the Marie Antoinette glass by many, the coupe is a funnel-shaped glass with a wide opening. Due to its large surface area and shallowness, it is a more suitable glass to hold more aged wine and that which intensifies more with the exposure to oxygen but unfortunately does not retain bubbles for long enough.

White Wine Glass 

This is similar to a traditional red wine glass but narrower than that. It has a deeper bowl and wider mouth than a tulip shape. It has the ability to retain bubbles for long enough as well as allows the wine enough exposure to oxygen. 

Tulip

The tulip shape is another unique one that resembles the flute but tapers towards the end. The depth allows the wine to remain bubbly, but the mouth of the bowl reduces the aeration of the wine due to its narrowness at the top. 

The Temperature at Which It Should Be Served 

Sparkling wine is best served chilled. The bottle may be served over chilled ice, chilled water or after being cooled in the refrigerator for at least three hours. The ideal temperature to serve sparkling wine is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. You may chill your wine using one of these methods: 

Refrigerator 

If you have a 24-hour notice before guests come over, then pop your bottle of bubbly into the fridge and let it cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving. 

Freezer 

If your guests show up by surprise and you have not had time to refrigerate your bottle, you may pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes. It’s best to set a timer as too much time in the freezer can cause your bottle to freeze and explode!

Ice Bucket

Once you take your bottle out of the fridge, you may keep your bottle of sparkling wine in a bucket of ice to keep those bubbles cold and crisp. A little water should be poured into the ice bucket as well to keep a chilled environment for your wine. Keep a towel handy to wipe your bottle every time you take it out of the bucket.

How to Pour the Wine

Once you take your bottle out of the fridge or the ice bucket, let it sit out for 5 minutes before pouring it into a glass. This is because overly chilled sparkling wine loses flavor and starts tasting bland. 

Take your glasses out while you wait for your champagne as it rests. 

Remove the foil from around the cork and gently loosen the wire cage around the wooden cork, keeping your thumb pressed firmly over the cork. It takes up to 6 turns to loosen the wire cage completely.

Now, hold the bottle by its neck at an angle of 45 degrees and, keeping your thumb still pressed over the cork, rotate the bottle a few times to allow pressure to build up. Do not shake the bottle vigorously. Slowly lift your thumb, and the cork will release automatically.

Unscrewing the cork must be done with care as it can injure somebody as it pops, therefore follow the method above to keep yourself and others safe as well as save you from the embarrassment of not knowing the correct way to do it. 

Best Foods To Pair With Sparkling Wine

Serve your bottle of sparkling wine with the following foods for an enriching dining experience.

• Shrimp, lobster, oysters, shellfish, and caviar
• Buttercream sauce or buttery popcorn
• Foie gras, salami, eggs and mascarpone cheese
• Shortbread cookies 
• Fruit based tarts
• Toasted almonds 
• Fried fish or Smoked salmon
• Cheesecake

The Final Word

Sparkling wine is a delicious fine aerated with carbon dioxide to make it extra crisp with bubbles that dance on your taste buds as you sip. It comes in wide varieties, but some of the most popular ones are Champagne, Rosé, Italian Prosecco and Spanish Cava. Sparkling wine is most often used as a celebratory wine because bubbles make everything fancy and therefore add more fun to your celebration. Sparkling wine must be enjoyed in the right manner, and how you serve it plays a huge role in its overall experience. Therefore you must serve it chilled in the right glass and unscrew it with care.