What is the proper way to serve champagne?

nobody puts an unopened bottle of champagne upside down in the ice bucket. You do that when it is empty.

Well, not burnt would be a start...

R1, maybe that's it, it was empty and not an unopened bottle. Thanks. Makes sense.

Also, only put the empty bottle upside down if the bucket is in a stand. Or a very serious, heavy bucket. Otherwise the weight of the bottle could tip over the bucket.

In a restaurant the server should be serving the champagne and know when its out. At home, it would be a bit pretentious to have a stand.

There are only about 6 glasses in a bottle. Depending on how many guests you have, you shouldn't even need a bucket. You only need it if you are 2 or 3 people.

Thanks for the info, r4. Sensible and useful. I was thinking about the times I've used an ice bucket on the table.

I'd use a stand at home if I thought it wouldn't be pretentious, but a fun, extra special touch for an occasion. I might scout out a stand, much against your wishes. One bottle is never enough, anyway.

The 2nd bottle is in the fridge. That is the one that might need a bucket.

The point of turning the bottle upside down is you want the waiter to know to ask you if you want another bottle. So there would be no point in doing that at home. If you pour out the last glass, take the bottle to the kitchen and bring out a new one.

I wanna make sure all my friends and relatives see and acknowledge the label. "See that? Dom Perignon. My neighbor asked me if it was something to do with S&M. I know this is not like that Andre stuff you are so fond of Beatrice, but hopefully you will like it. It is called Dom Perignon. It costs a LOT. Oh I don't want to say. But everyone could have had their own bottle of Andre. Three or four bottles of Andre. "

Plus if we put the label down in the ice, it might make it blurry. We might want to soak it off in case, you know, the label on our next bottle of Dom Perignon had fallen off and we need to glue this one on.

I don't like Dom Perignon and would never serve expensive champagne to people who don't have "champagne tastes". I pretty much never serve vintage champagne anyway, because I can't afford it. Rich friends with champagne lifestyles serve it to me.

You also need to chill a bottle of champagne neck down in ice for at least 30 minutes if you want to saber it.

who the fuck sabers champagne? maybe at a special event.

Luv these responses. R8, made me laugh. Too many years ago I bought a bottle of Dom, wholesale from a commercial customer. I worked in a bank. I wanted to impress my boyfriend's family at a holiday gathering. I was the shit. Never regretted that 60 bucks.

I must stop by the sword store, pronto.

Oh, for Christ's sake... Sabering? Sounds like someone has a willful negligence suit wish.

From the ass, of course.

Usually ROTC guys and Military grads do the sabering. After they leave school, there is nothing else to use their sabers for, except maybe to make an arch at a wedding.

When is Charles Shaw coming out with champagne?

It would be ridiculous to saber a standard bottle of champagne and you would need an experienced expert to saber expensive bottles, perhaps some Cristal at a Russian billionaire wedding. Then it might be funny.

How does one saber a box of of fine cardbordeux?

As I struggle with my box (of wine) I had to laugh with r19.

Veuve Cliquot is your best bang 4 your $

I hate poor people.

BTW, one should never pop the cork off champagne. Rock cork gently back and forth with a little pop.

Also, if you're a box wine drinker avoid Almaden at all costs. That brand fucks w/ your brain Violent, melancholy even suicidal. Vella is the better choice but sangria it up with fruits. Irish folks should avoid white wines Chemically, they can't handle it for some reason.

Champagne, only the real stuff, makes a great enema.

I need some champagne to saber. With some military type.

Hope springs eternal.

I don't pop my cork for every guy I see.

Open-toed slippers are out for serving, OP. You sound like the type not to realize that.

Which tastes better Dom, Cristal or Veuve Cliquot ?

I have to buy a new yacht every time I want to open a bottle of champagne.

I'd say Dom out of those three, R29, but there are better champagnes than Dom. Take a look at Taittinger's good champagnes.

Taittinger and Bollinger are my favorites, followed by The Grand Dame. They seem to have a more powerful taste than Dom, which has a flat taste to me. The proper way is to never make a big deal of it. Just twist the cork slowly and it will pop. Wrap the neck of the bottle in a cloth napkin to keep it cool, and to keep from getting your hands wet. No sabering, no letting the cork fly across the room. That's tacky and signals that you are a champagne novice. The bottle can be chilled for 15 minutes in the freezer if you're in a time crunch, but it's better to refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes. The upside down bottle in the ice bucket signals the waiter that you may want a second bottle, but always leave an empty bottle upside down, no matter what. Never leave the bottle on the table, but return it to the ice bucket, if you've been waiting too long for your server to re-fill your glass. Never store a bottle of champagne upright. It dries out the cork, and it may go flying when you open it. It also releases a ir into the champagne. Always open the bottle pointing it away from people. Wait for the host or server to re-fill your glass. It could be a $1,000 bottle of champagne, and you don't want to be taking more than your share of a pricey bottle. There's an art to ordering and drinking champagne, and most of it comes down to not seeking attention.

I once had my housekeeper come for Christmas dinner. I served Taittinger, and she didn't now how to drink it. She chugged the glass like a bottle of beer and held out her glass for more!

R32 has some good advice. I like to hold the cork and twist the bottle. It never explodes that way, just gently pops off.

[R32] Here again. Last month a friend and I had something big to celebrate, so we decided to go out for lobster and champagne. We were in nice jeans and tops, not dressed up by any means, but acceptable at that restaurant. I ordered the Dom (the best they had) by pointing to it on the wine menu, so my guest would not know the price. The waiter took my order, and came back to check. He pointed at the Dom on the list and moved his finger across to the price. I nodded, and said that was the one. No price or even the type of champagne was mentioned. Just try to stay under the radar when ordering fine wines and champagne.

....

it makes a phenomenal douche

"If you pour out the last glass, take the bottle to the kitchen and bring out a new one. "

This reply by r7 made me laugh, instructions for the retarded LOL

As a Frenchie these type of threads make me sad because I know very well that 90% of the price of a Champagne bottle is the label stuck on it. A lot of the best sparkle wines I've ever had in my life were Crémants and conversly there are demonic Champagnes out there that cost an arm.

All this proper etiquette bs re:drinking Champagne seems to only serve the purpose of making people nervous and self-conscious. It's just wine..

If I had to suggest a castle I'd say Boursault (Veuve Clicquot) because I never had a bottle that wasn't great. But that's the only one.

Another vote for cremants and also Californian methode champenoise - buy, drink it, enjoy it.

[quote] Californian methode champenoise

Please... How about Chinese Bordeaux?

I hear the Chinese are going for quality food and wine exports but haven't seen any results yet. Foie gras, organic produce, wine and methode champenoise sparklies. Have you tried anything?

[quote]Oh, for Christ's sake... Sabering? Sounds like someone has a willful negligence suit wish.

Nothing dangerous about it, [R14], unless you don't know what you're doing and you're total klutz. It can also be done with a meat cleaver. If you're right-handed, left thumb in the punt, four fingers below supporting the bottle at an upward angle. Take the meat cleaver (or saber) in your right hand. Slide it along the throat of the bottle til it hits the neck. Tap it twice to get your range, and strike it hard the third time. The glass will break cleanly.

It's fun and much easier than it sounds.

There are some wonderful sparking wines from California, and many people like Washington State sparking wines, but I find most of the Washington wines too sweet for my taste.

Yes, champagne and sparking wine is delicious and fun, but there is stlll a certain expectaton of manners and protocol while ordering and drinking them, whether you're from France or not. OP was asking what is the proper way to serve champagne. There IS proper way to order it whether you're in the U.S. or in France, just as there is a proper way to order anything from a menu or a proper way to give your meal order to your server. After awhile, it becomes second nature. Whether we like it or not, we are judged by servers, wine stewards, sommeliers and the guests at our tables. How you order and drink champagne and sparking wine says a lot about your life experiences and whether you're used to the finer things in life. Business deals or work advancement can hinge on proper restaurant etiquette or in somebody's home, showing that you are at ease in any situation, and can handle yourself properly with the biggest clients and in a world setting, maybe even in France. Simply being from France does not automatically mean that you know proper manners or etiquitte.

Say you're invited to the home of your corporate president. The proper way applies here, too, and you certainly do not reach across the table to take the last glass from the bottle being served. You don't go to the kitchen to get another bottle. and you don't try to saber a bottle. Again, there is a proper way to handle yourself in home situations, too. Yes, it is just wine, but how you order it, serve it and drink it makes a difference, even in France.

Of course if you are the host, you DO go to the kitchen and get another bottle when you pour out the last glass from the one in the dining room. Who else is going to do that - unless you have help? Which most of us do NOT. And you don't leave an empty bottle of wine or champagne, on your home dining table, when you have guests and everyone is eating.

Oh, but your corporate president may have help in the home, and you shoud be prepared for and at ease with that. Of course, when you are in your own home, you to go to the kitchen and get another bottle. It's the proper thing to do, because it is considered rude to leave your guests wanting more. See, etiquitte comes into play again.

[quote]There are some wonderful sparking wines from California, and many people like Washington State sparking wines,

Are you a firestarter?

The word is SPARKLING.

Ha ha! I enjoy a good spark every now and then.

[R45] I just re-read my post. How could I have typed sparking three times? It's sparkLing.

Veuve or Moët must be the worst of the mainstream marques, Bollinger might be the best. But if you want real champagne drink Krug. Even Dom, Cristal et al don't compare. Never had a really great crémant, but it's reasonable to think they could be better option than 'bargain' champers.

I happen to like Veuve, especially the Grande Dame, but agree that Moet and Dom are not my favorites. I find Taittinger and Bollinger comparable (my two favorites), but I've never tried Krug. I'll have to give it a try.

[R48] Can you give me a rundown on Krug? Flavor, dryness, etc. I don't like sweet or fruity wines.

R49 What sets Krug apart is the 6-8 years the wine spends sur lie, as opposed to the regulation 1.5. This basically gives you the diametric opposite of the fizzy apple juice style.

Keywords: think richness, depth, intensity, body. Always elegant. Notes: think honey, brioche, toasted nuts, dried fruits, spice. Impeccably dry.

I drink it above plenty of serious white Burgundy.

Thanks, OP. I'm going to try it. Sounds delicious.

[quote]What is the proper way to serve champagne?

From a young man's anus, of course.

R52 yuck 🤮