Tip: Opening the Bottle

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Carbonation gives sparkling wine those attractive bubbles but also makes opening the bottle a tad tricky, as my mother-in-law can attest. The process does not need to be intimidating, however. First, always point the bottle away from people or windows. Rogue corks are rare, but they do happen. As you twist open the wire cage around the cork, cup your hand over the cork or drape a towel over it in case it shoots out. With one hand firmly over the cork, twist the bottle with the other hand to loosen the cork, then wiggle the cork back and forth to ease it out of the bottle. It should make a sound more like a sigh than a pop when it finally comes free.