A Guide to the Enjoyment of Sparkling Wine

If you have never experienced the pleasures of this delectable drink, then here are some useful tips to enhance your enjoyment of sparkling wine.

Storing Sparkling Wine
  • If you do not have a cellar, store your sparkling wine in a cool dark room at a consistent room temperature. Store the sparkling wine in a horizontal position.
  • The shelf life of natural sparkling wines is 12 – 18 months if correctly stored.
  • The shelf life of Cap Classique sparkling wines is 10 – 12 years if correctly stored.
  • Never expose sparkling wine to excessive heat or direct sunlight. The pressure inside a bottle of sparkling wine is about 6 atmospheres (3 times that of your average car tyre) and the heat leads to expansion of the bubbles which might influence the quality of your sparkling wine.
  • Before serving sparkling wine, ensure it is chilled to 8°C. A domestic refrigerator is normally around 5°C and by the time the bottle is opened, the serving temperature will be around 8°C.

Opening Sparkling Wine

  • Not only is the pressure inside a bottle of sparkling wine intense, the cork travels at about 100km per hour.
  • Make sure you point the bottle away from yourself and anyone standing close to you. Keep a hold of the cork as you ease off the foil and the wiring.
  • Instead of twisting the cork, hold the cork steady while you twist the bottle – this allows for a better grip.
  • Ease the cork out gently once it begins to move, with as little “pop” as possible. The louder the “pop”, the more bubbles escape.
  • Never shake the bottle before pouring, as you will spill and waste your precious sparkling wine. You will also lose the wonderful flavour that is contained in the bubbles. The more bubbles that leave the bottle, the less will be inside.

Serving Sparkling Wine

Serve sparkling wine in a glass flute so as to allow optimal enjoyment of the wondrous bouquet of delicate bubbles rising from the glass. A flute is a narrow, elegant glass, which contains the bubbles and bouquet longer because of the smaller surface area. Glasses with a larger surface area result in a rapid loss of bubbles and bouquet.

This may seem obvious – but ensure flutes are not chipped, and give the flute a final wipe with a napkin so as to ensure a scrupulously clean and clear glass – to do justice to the lovely colour of sparkling wines.

  • When pouring, place your thumb in the hollow at the bottom of the bottle, whilst resting the bottle on your four spread fingers. This makes it easier to pour, whilst adding a touch of elegance as you do so.
  • When pouring sparkling wine, tilt the glass and do not fill the glass completely, but fill up to three-quarter full to allow room for the mousse and the wondrous bouquet to collect in the glass and to delight your nose.
  • If in a formal setting, such as a dinner, serve ladies first, pouring from the right of each guest.
  • Remember to give the bottle a gentle twist when finished pouring each glass so as to get rid of the remaining drops and to avoid dripping.
  • When toasting or while sipping your sparkling wine, hold the glass by the stem. The temperature of your hand will warm the glass unduly and thereby the sparkling wine, if you don’t. This also avoids fingerprints on the glass, enabling you to appreciate the colour and rising bubbles of the sparkling wine.
  • To ensure your sparkling wine remains well chilled, keep the bottle in an ice bucket if possible, especially if the sparkling wine is enjoyed over an extended period.
  • If you do use an ice bucket, use a napkin when serving, as the bottle tends to drip.

Once a bottle of sparkling wine has been opened, the cork cannot be replaced. Use a ‘champagne stopper’ to reseal your bottle temporarily. In most cases, your sparkling wine will be preserved for at least 4 days after opening.