The Sparkling Wine Standard
Five steps for opening and pouring sparkling wine, Champagne included. The bottle holds about six bar of pressure, so the thumb stays on the cork.
- Who
- Sommeliers, servers and bartenders who open sparkling wine
- When
- Every bottle of sparkling wine opened in front of a guest
- You need
- A bucket of ice and water, a napkin, polished flutes or tulips, a stand
- Measured by
- Bottle at 6–8 °C before it is opened
- Thumb on the cork from cage to cork out
- Opened with a sigh, never a bang
5 steps
01
Chill it
Sparkling wine reaches the table at 6–8 °C, or 8–12 °C if vintage. A bottle from the wine fridge needs 10 minutes in ice and water; one from the store needs 25. Carry it upright and never shake it.
Say this
“Your Champagne is in the ice now, Ms Dubois. It will be ready in two minutes.”
Common mistake Taking a bottle straight from a warm store room. It foams over as the cork moves, and a glass ends up on the cloth.
02
Loosen the cage
Show the label to the host. Point the bottle at 45°, away from guests, lights and windows. Remove the foil, put your thumb on the cork, untwist the cage six half-turns and leave it on the cork.
Say this
“One moment while I open it, turned away from the table.”
Common mistake Loosening the cage and putting the bottle down to reach for the napkin. The cork can leave on its own.
03
Ease the cork
Cover cork and cage with a napkin. Hold the cork still and turn the bottle, so the pressure eases the cork into your hand. The sound you want is a soft sigh; a bang wastes wine and startles the room.
Say this
“There we are. A quiet opening keeps the bubbles in the wine.”
Common mistake Popping the cork for effect at a table that did not ask for it. Half the room turns round and the first glass is foam.
04
Pour in two
After the host’s taste, pour into each glass where it stands, in two movements: a splash to let the foam rise and settle, then up to two-thirds. Turn the bottle a quarter as you lift it, so no drop falls.
Say this
“Would you like to taste it first, Mr Castellano?”
Common mistake Pouring in one go. The foam runs over the rim, and the guest’s first sip comes from a wet glass.
05
Keep it cold
Return the bottle to the bucket with a napkin over the neck, and top up before any glass falls below a third. If the table leaves wine in the bottle, close it with a hinged stopper and keep it in the ice.
Say this
“I’ll keep it in the ice here and top you up as we go.”
Common mistake Leaving the bottle on the table so it looks generous. In twenty minutes it is warm and the bubbles are coarse.
Sparkling Wine Opening Check
Thirteen points to watch while a bottle of sparkling wine is opened, from the bucket to the top-up. Tick only what you saw.
- Bottle at 6–8 °C, or 8–12 °C if vintage
- Bucket filled with ice and water, not ice alone
- Flutes or tulips polished and smell-checked
- Bottle carried upright, never shaken
- Label shown to the host, vintage named
- Bottle held at 45°, pointed away from people
- Thumb on the cork from the first twist
- Cage loosened and left on the cork
- Bottle turned, cork held still
- Opened with a sigh: no bang, no foam
- Host offered a taste first
- Poured in two movements, up to two-thirds
- Bottle back in the bucket, napkin on the neck
In the first week, every new team member opens three bottles watched by the head sommelier before opening one alone. After that, the supervisor watches one table per service and ticks this card with them.
The Standards Library.
No. 94 · Wine
The Corkage Standard
Five steps for the guest who brings their own bottle. The fee is told before the cork comes out, and the bottle gets the service of a wine from the list.
No. 95 · Wine
The Wine Pairing Standard
Five steps for serving a wine pairing course by course. Each wine reaches the table a minute before its dish, so the guest smells it before the first bite.