The Wine Ladies

Keeping your Champagne Bubbly

Dear Wine Ladies,

Last weekend towards the conclusion of an incredible 21st birthday celebration I saw some-one putting the end of a spoon in an un-finished champagne bottle! Then they stuck it in the fridge!  My first thought was “why is there any champagne left at all” and my second was “is that suppose to keep the wine fresher for the morning?
Have you ever heard of this?

Max

Dear Max,
 
Yes, we have, and have actually been asked about this on several occasions. There’s an old wives tale that suggests the practice of putting the handle of a silver spoon in an un-finished bottle of champagne or sparkling wine will extend the life of the bubbles and the freshness of the wine. Unfortunately, like most myths, this one too is un-true. There is no evidence to substantiate this claim, although there are many who apparently still believe. Surprisingly, simply storing an un-finished bottle of champagne in the fridge, with a proper seal (you can purchase specific sparkling wine stoppers) will go a long way with the wine still tasting and performing pretty well the next day. Thanks to those bubbles with the CO2 acting as a preservative.