How to Open a Champagne Bottle Without Spilling a Drop

As cinematic and celebratory as it may seem to noisily pop a cork and spray frothy bubbles, few of us actually want to waste wine or clean up that aftermath. Fortunately, it’s easy to learn how to open a bottle of Champagne without losing a drop (or dodging projectiles).

Here are four steps (along with some alternatives) to open a bottle of Champagne or any bottle of bubbly like a pro.

Step 1: Chill Your Champagne

Illustration by Eric DeFreitas

The proper temperature for serving Champagne is 47–50°F, according to Comité Champagne, France’s official Champagne bureau, though others prefer drinking Champagne at 50–54°F to accentuate its richness.

Either way, a well-chilled bottle is vital for both flavor and function. But note that well chilled does not mean refrigerator temperature, which is usually below 40°F.

“Warm bubbles are agitated bubbles, so Champagne that’s too warm will almost always vigorously spew out of the bottle,” says Davon D. E. Hatchett, a wine writer, wine law attorney and content creator. “Properly chilled bubbles typically remain calmer—and therefore remain inside where you want them.”

Hatchett goes one step further and wraps a cold towel around the neck of her bottle right before she opens it.

“The cold glass of the neck creates a temperature barrier that keeps the pressure in the remainder of the bottle more controlled,” she says, so it’s less likely that any bubbles will escape through the neck when you pull out the cork. “The last thing I want to do is spill any of that precious elixir!”

Chilled bottles can be damp from condensation, which can make a firm grip difficult. Wipe the bottle dry with a clean towel or cloth so you can hold it steady.

Step 2: Untie the Cage

Illustration of a champagne bottle with the muselet coming off — Illustration by Eric DeFreitas

The cage or muselet is the wire contraption atop the cork of a Champagne bottle. It might seem intuitive to take it off before you remove the cork, but William Edwards, the beverage director at Manhatta in New York, advises otherwise.

He drapes a towel or serviette over the cork and cage, and then unties the cage with his nondominant hand while his dominant hand exerts steady downward pressure on the cork.

The contents of a Champagne bottle are pressurized, Edwards explains, so your dominant hand serves as a protective barrier in the infrequent but entirely possible event that your cork pops out of the bottle unexpectedly.
“The average pressure in a bottle of Champagne is 70–90 pounds per square inch, which is more than double the average pressure in a car tire,” he says. “Apply that force to a small, relatively firm projectile and you quickly realize how dangerous it might be flying at one’s face.”

Step 3: Hold the Bottle at an Angle

Illustration of a champagne bottle being held at a 45 degree angle — Illustration by Eric DeFreitas

With your thumb and towel still holding the cork and cage in place, use your nondominant hand to tilt the bottle 45°. Look around to be sure no one is standing in the direct line of the cork.

“Holding the bottle at the proper angle adjusts the surface area of air to pressure inside, which can help keep the bubbly from spilling due to the force of pressure of the bubbles,” says Hatchett.

Step 4: Twist the Bottle, Not the Cork

Illustration of a champagne bottle being turned — Illustration by Eric DeFreitas

With your dominant hand still positioned atop the cork and cage, use your nondominant hand to gently twist the angled bottle, “until the pressure inside begins to gradually push the cork out naturally,” says Hatchett. “I continue counter-pressure against the cork with my thumb, which allows for a controlled easing of it out of the bottle.”

In an ideal world, your cork will slide out quietly, but don’t be too hard on yourself if the sound is audible.

“I would argue, so long as proper technique is being used, a little pop makes it feel like a party versus a stuffy dining room,” Edwards says. “As long as you’re opening a bottle safely, go ahead and make some noise.”

Besides, noiselessly opening bottles of Champagne or any bubbly can take several bottles and years of practice. And that’s only a challenge if you choose to accept it.

But Wait, There’s More!

If you don’t want to accept the challenge or have physical problems that hinder your ability to safely pop a cork, there are tools to help including specialized cork screws and electric sparkling wine openers.

Or you could go the other direction and amp up the cinematic flare—and danger!— by sabering your bottle of Champagne with a blunt object (like the back of a butcher’s knife) or an official Champagne sabre. Just please make sure not to point that thing at anybody: an injury is sure to kill the vibe of the party.