Discover The Right Way To Chill and Serve Champagne
Ordering Champagne online is a quick and chic gift option for any occasion. Sending Champagne or Sparkling Wine is a simple process, where you can find vintage bottles ready to ship or stunning gift baskets that include champagne, and gourmet chocolates as well. If you have received champagne and are uncertain on how to chill your bottle, and serve the champagne correctly I invite you to read on.
Champagne is a extraordinarily delicious and chic spirit typically served at festive functions or passionate liaisons. However, it can be imbibed in at other times too . Sparkling wines and champagnes come in numerous price ranges, consequently it can be easy to discover outstanding bottle champagne that is within your budget.There is always the option of choosing a less expensive French champagnes, Italian Prosecco, Italian Spumante, California sparkling wines, or Spanish Cava. Many of these can also make incredibly delicious champagne cocktails that are perfect for any occasion.
What Temperature Should Champagne Be Served At?
For champagne to preserve its delightful distinctive characteristics , and to absolutely enjoy the wine it needs to be served cold. What is the exact temperature? Around the range of 43 to 48°F (7°C) is the right temperature for chilling champagne. When the wine is chilled in this range, it will maintain the bouquet , and the essence of the champagne.
How to Chill Your Champagne How to Chill Your Champagne Perfectly
Option one is to leave your bottle in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours .
Tip: It is not recommended to leave the bottle in the refrigerator longer than this, because it is too cold to store the champagne properly. Never put the bottle in the freezer!
Second option is to place your unopened bottle in a bucket of ice for about 20-30 minutes to chill your bottle to the right temperature .
You will need an insulated ice bucket , with more or less four cups of ice, and two to three of cold water. If you are in a rush to savor your champagne turn over the unopened bottle with the neck of the bottle tucked into the ice water and allow the bottle chill for 10 to 15 minutes. The first couple of glasses quickly, and then return it back to its proper position in the bucket . After opening the bottle place it back into the bucket the right way.
When opening a bottle of champagne remove enough of the foil to be able to liberate the twisted-wire cage. Take the wire hood and turn the wire stem 6 times counter clock wise. It is wise to keep a finger or thumb over the cork at this point as it could pop out of its own accord. If the cork is loose, remove it cautiously with the wire cage. Most of the time , the cork has to be eased out slowly, and to do this, grasp the bottle away from you and anyone else , at a 45 degree angle. Hold the cork and gently turn the bottle in one direction .
Don’t Waste The Bubbly
The cork should not pop, the sound will be more of a gentle swoosh. Popping the cork, and sending frothing bubbles down your arm, and everywhere is something you may see on TV. However, fine bottles of champagne are valuable, and worthy of respect and why waste the delicious bubbles. The cork can be a very dangerous projectile, and care should be taken when extricating it . There is approximately 70 pounds-per-square-inch of energy behind it, thus creating a formidable missile.
Tip: To reduce the pressure behind the cork, it helps greatly if the champagne is properly chilled — at 45°F the gas is reduced one atmosphere of pressure — and you avoid shaking it as much as possible before opening it .
Before serving , the bottle neck should be dabbed with a clean linen . Next start by pouring a little down along the side of the fluted champagne glass, and your objective is to fill the glass no more than half way, thus allowing the froth to settle . Then you can go back around and top to about the two-thirds mark, and this will prevent any frothing over
Champagne has reached its peak maturity and is ready for consumption immediately after leaving the champagne house . However, champagne may be stored in cellar-like conditions for a few years. The key conditions are a constant, stable, cool temperature and no light. The bottles have to be stored horizontally to maintain the cork moisture and thus retain its elasticity. This will keep the air out and the gas in the bottle.
Once opened, a bottle does not require that it be drunk in one sitting if it is correctly closed. There are inexpensive champagne stoppers that are made just for this purpose, and all that is needed is for it to be placed in a refrigerator. Following this it should be good for another “bubbling” for up to several days.
Tip: It is best if champagne is served in fluted glassware, as this will keep the bouquet, and distinguishing bubbles from disappearing up into the air. Hold the champagne glass by the stem, so as to prevent your hands from warming the luscious wine.
Sending Champagne as a gift
Enjoy your bubbly and if you are looking for the perfect gift for any occation A Champagne Gift Basket is an elegant, and a splendid way to celebrate any occation.
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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 13th, 2009 at 9:36 am and is filed under food and wine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.