There's never a bad time for a bottle of bubbly, but the holidays are especially the time of year you want to pop open something sparkling. Whether for Christmas brunch mimosas or New Year's Eve toasts, you'll probably be put in charge of opening some champagne in the next few weeks ,so here's everything you should know to avoid any overflowing- or cork-related disasters.
First, any sparkling liquors like champagne, prosecco, or cava, should be handled carefully before opening them. Since they're sparkling, the more they move around, the more likely you'll encounter an overflow when opening, so keep that in mind when you're shopping and putting your bottles into your cart. That being said, when it finally is time to pop your bottle, have a kitchen towel on hand to help ease off the cork.
You'll begin by peeling off the foil and additional metal cage used to secure the cork. Fun fact: that metal cage is known as a muselet, a French word derived from the verb meaning "to muzzle."
Once the cork is completely revealed, cover the top of the champagne with the towel and hold it by the neck of the bottle, leaving a bit of wiggle room under the towel where the cork is to give it space to pop off. Gently and slowly begin to wiggle off the cork while covered with the towel. Eventually, the pressure inside the bottle will lift off the cork itself, so keep your grip on the bottle with the towel so the cork falls into the towel rather than at an unsuspecting party guest. Once opened, pour yourself a glass or try out any of these champagne cocktails.
