MISTAKES TO AVOID WHILE DRINKING CHAMPAGNE

There is no wrong way to enjoy Champagne, but if you are a serious winemaker, a wine collector, or just a wine enthusiast, you should understand a few things that professionals do to make drinking Champagne more enjoyable. For instance, the classic Champagne flute, which seems to be made just to drink the bubbly liquid, is actually not suggested by some wine experts. Besides that, most experts would recommend gently coax the bottle of Champagne to open, instead of popping the cork out. We think of Champagne as the best fit for toasts or at the beginning of the cocktail hour, but the drink is in fact more versatile. The tips from the Champagne expert Olivier Krug of the Krug Champagne House explains the mistakes to avoid while drinking the sparkling wine. Check out some of the interesting ones below. Never Swirl “Champagne is not meant to be swirled, as swirling will release the bubbles and evoke an undesired flatness. The carbonation and bubbles in a glass of champagne release the aromatics without you having to swirl the wine,” says Krug. Champagne Should not be Too Cold “The richness of your champagnes is fully revealed between 49 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Serving your bottle too cold will refrain the aromas’ expression,” says Krug. This means that keeping the bottle in ice between drinking is not good for Champagne. “It should also be stored somewhere cool, between 50 and 59 degrees, either in a wine cellar or somewhere dry and away from the light,” Krug adds. Skip the Flutes “We encourage drinking champagne in a glass that is wide enough to enable the expression of aromas, such as a white wine glass. A great champagne cannot offer its fullest expression of aromas and flavors in a narrow glass, like a champagne flute,” says Krug. Do Not Pop the Bottles All of us love the sound of a Champagne cork popping off, but that is not the safest way to open a Champagne bottle. It will be better if you can tightly grip the cork of the bottle and hold the base as you twist the cork to open it slowly and without the popping sound. This will help you avoid the cork knocking someone’s eye out!