NOW EXPERIENCING:Will a spoon keep Champagne fizzy?
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Will a spoon keep Champagne fizzy?

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 10 Jan 2024

By
Gin Brown

How to store your sparkling wines and really keep them bubbly.

As the epitome of celebrations and for clinking glasses to each other’s health, Champagne is often reserved for those special occasions when a still wine just isn’t quite special enough. If you, like us, love Champagne and sparkling wines, you’ve undoubtedly heard of a few ways to keep the remaining liquid-gold fizz fresh to enjoy the next day – that’s if there’s any left over. But spotting the truths betwixt the tall tales can be a little tricky. Luckily, we’re here to point out the porky-pies and share some tips to keep your sparklings full of all those delicate bubbles.
How was sparkling wine invented anyway?Sparkling wine is an intriguing tale of unintentional innovation. It’s believed that the bubbles were initially a blunder by winemakers aiming to create still wine. The happy accident occurred from an unexpected second fermentation within the bottle, producing carbon dioxide and the subsequent signature fizz. This traditional method (AKA méthode Champenoise), allegedly born of those early winemaking mishaps, remains the gold standard to this day due to its labour-intensive nature and extended production time, which all contributes to its superior quality.
The many sparkling stylesWhile sparkling wines can be produced worldwide using various techniques, Champagne, the crown jewel of sparkling wines, must come from the esteemed Champagne region of France. Unlike its wider sparkling wine fam, Champagne adheres to a strict set of rules, from grape selection and viticulture to production methods and maturation. In short, if your bottle of bubbles isn’t from this protected region just outside of Paris, it isn’t Champagne. There are, however, oodles of other quality – and delicious – sparkling wines from around the world, including, of course, from right here on our shores. From Champagne, prosecco and Cava to sekt, crémant  and spumante, styles range from sweet and dry to pink and beyond, all made from a wide range of grapes.
The spoon trick: fact or fiction?If you find yourself with half a bottle, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking you could pop a spoon in it to keep it bubbly. This old wives tale has probably seen us all clink a humble household spoon into a bottle under the belief that it would maintain the fizz factor, but alas, we’re officially debunking this one. Minimising contact between wine and oxygen is vital for stopping the onset of oxidative spoilage, so having only a spoon popped in its top won’t deter the air from ruining your special sparkles. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, the myth persists (even if your bubbles won’t!) so remember that sealing your bottle is essential to keeping your tipples fizzy. 
The best ways to keep leftover sparkling fizzy

Spoons aside, there are a few nifty tricks to preserve your sparkling wine after it’s been opened.
 

Keep it cool

Be sure to place your open bottles in the fridge to keep your bubbles chilled. Carbon dioxide becomes less soluble as the temperature increases, so a helpful way to keep your fizzy drinks fizzy is to keep them cold.
 

Plastic wrap

Look, we wouldn’t recommend this for your top-shelf Champagne, but if you’re really in a pinch, a square or two of good ol’ plastic wrap or aluminium foil can do the trick. It will need to tightly cover the top of the bottle and be firmly secured with a rubber band.
 

Use a stopper

Last but definitely not least, invest in reusable corks or stoppers specifically designed for resealing your Champagne and sparkling wine bottles. These metal stoppers act like a vacuum, locking in the pressure and keeping your brilliant bubbles intact a little longer. They are the only foolproof way to ensure you will return to a wine that will still have by fizzy a day or two after it’s been opened.

Bar StationChampagne Stopper
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$7.59 each
 
BarwareChampagne Stopper Stainless Steel - Copper 2 Pack
Champagne Stopper Stainless Steel - Copper 2 Pack
$19.80 per pack
 
TrentonChampagne Stopper Stainless Steel
Champagne Stopper Stainless Steel
$34.95 pack (2)
 
Authour image
Gin BrownA tinkerer of words and die-hard Champagne devotee, Gin prefers her puns intended and her Vodka Martinis filthy.
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LearnSparklingChampagneDIY How toWine 101Wine
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