Champagne is quite a treat for many, and can be served on just about any occasion, special or ordinary. It can really make an experience complete. If you want to learn how to serve champagne, you have come to the right place!

Before you start the process of serving champagne, however, you will need to make sure you have a few things in mind. First of all, you will need to decide how you want to chill your champagne. If you are in a rush, or don't want to spend part of your day preparing, you will need a bucket and ice ready. If you have the time to spare, however, an ordinary refrigerator is fine.

Next, think about what you want to serve your champagne in. The traditional glass that is used is called a champagne flute. It is narrow and curves in at the top, letting the bubbles constantly flow so that your drink doesn't get flat over the course of the evening. If you don't have flutes or don't want to spend the dough to get them, then try to find glasses that are somewhat narrow, especially at the top, in order to preserve the freshly-opened sparkling taste of the champagne. http://wine.about.com/od/whitewines/a/servechampagne.htm Other than these few things, all you'll need now is a small towel (paper towel will work as well) and a bottle of champagne! If you're ready, let's get started.

The first thing you must do in order to serve champagne properly is to get it to the right temperature. There are a couple of effective ways you can do this. The simplest but most time consuming way is to store your bottle of champagne in the coldest part of your fridge. It will take about three to four hours for the liquid to reach the desired temperature: between 43 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/935373/how_to_serve_champagne_the_proper_way.htmlYou can achieve this much more quickly by putting the champagne bottle in a bucket that contains equal amounts of ice and water. This method takes only about 15 to 20 minutes. http://www.wealthandluxury.com/Chill-Champagne.html Once your champagne is chilled to the right temperature, the bulk of the work is behind you, and you are now ready to start serving it!

Arguably the most dangerous step in this process, the opening of the champagne must be done with much care. First, make sure you take your towel and wipe dry the outside of the bottle to prevent any slipping or sliding of the hands. After doing this, you MUST point the bottle at a 45 degree angle away from yourself and away from anyone else that is around you for the rest of this step and until the bottle is safely open. http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/beverages/wine/champagne_and_sparkling_wine_how_to_serve_and_store.html I would suggest doing this step outside or away from any breakable objects as well. There is always pressure beyond the cork, and sometimes that pressure can be too much, forcing the cork to pop off without your consent.

After you are safely positioned and the outside of the bottle is dry, you will want to remove the top part of the foil wrapping that covers the cork. You will now see the cork protected by a thin cage of wire. Gently twist the wire until you can pull it free, making sure you have a firm grip on the bottle. As soon as you get the wire cage off, place your hand or finger firmly against the top of the cork in order to keep the cork safely in its place. Now, take the hand that isn't securing the cork, and hold onto the bottom portion - or widest - section of the champagne bottle. Take your other hand and grip the cork tightly. Now start turning the bottle while holding the cork in place (not the other way around--if you twist the cork, the top of it could break off and you will be stuck with an unopened bottle of champagne). You should now start to feel the cork squeezing out. Keep your turning motion steady and slow, and soon the cork will come out softly. If you open the champagne exactly like this, there should be no loud pop. If there is, that means that a good portion of the bubbles have escaped, and you don't want that. http://www.chiff.com/a/open-champagne.htm

Once the champagne bottle is open, it is time to serve the drink to your guests. If you have champagne flutes, that is the best option for glassware. If not, try and find a narrow glass, not one that flares out or has a wide top. The thin shape of the flute is what allows the champagne bubbles to last throughout the entire time you are drinking from it. Now, to actually pour the champagne into the glass, you must angle the bottle, letting the liquid hit the side of the flute, never the bottom. Pour very slowly as to not let the champagne bubble over and fill each glass only until it is about three quarters full. http://www.meals.com/Tips-And-Articles/Entertaining-Tips/Pouring-a-Bottle-of-Champagne.aspx?article_id=451ef30b-0db3-43f2-a994-6181832b53eb Once you have this step complete, you are ready to make a toast and enjoy!