We all love a nice glass of Champagne. Whether it’s New Year’s Eve or just a regular Friday night, we enjoy the bubbly beverage and toast to good times. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same experience with their Champagne. The cork may pop too early, leaving an unpleasant taste in your mouth. Or you could open the bottle only to get nothing but foam. Worse yet, you can get only one big gulp and then nothing else! These are some common problems that people face when they drink sparkling wine. So what can you do? Here are some tips for keeping your Champagne fresh and bubbly.
Store Champagne in a Cool, Dark Place
This advice is something we all know. Yet, many of us don’t follow it. The refrigerator and the pantry are usually too light or warm for Champagne storage. So instead, opt for a cool and dark place like a cabinet or closet where you can keep your wine safe from heat and light.
Use Rinsed Wine Bottles
If there’s sediment in the bottle, it can sometimes create a bad taste in your sparkling wine. The solution is to use rinsed wine bottles and ensure there’s no unwanted residue inside.
Keep the Bottle at an Angle
If the cork isn’t moist, it can dry out and shrink. This will allow oxygen to enter your bottle of Champagne, which can cause an unappealing taste. Keep the bottle at an angle so that any leakage into the bottle’s neck goes back into the body instead of leaking out where you cannot see it and causing a problem with oxidation or contamination.
Don’t Shake the Bottle
We know. Shaking the bottle looks so fun in videos and pictures. But once you do it, you create a foam explosion waiting to happen. If you want a little bit of a pop for a celebration, there are other ways to accomplish it! You’ll want to gently roll the bottle back and forth so that it mixes. But refrain from shaking it. Too much carbonation will end up released if you over-mix, causing an unpleasant taste.
Don’t Store in Freezer
Keeping your sparkling wines in a freezer is never a good idea. Once you remove it from freezing temperatures, it can become ruined. If there’s too much carbonation, the glass bottle will release it into your wine and spoil the taste. We know you want it cold, but a freezer is not the way to accomplish that.
Don’t Chill for Too Long
So, if you can’t freeze it, what do you do? Pop your Champagne in the fridge for a bit, but not too long.
The recommended time for chilling your wine is about 30 minutes in a refrigerator. You should keep it at a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or so. Anything longer than that may cause condensation to form on the outside of the bottle, which can drip back into the Champagne and make it taste sour.
There you have it! Want some delicious bubbly sent to your door? Partner with Wines ’Til Sold Out and get a wine tasting box set. Whether you want to chill or pop bottles for a celebration, we hope you follow these tips for keeping your Champagne fresh and bubbly!
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