The 4 Worst Ways People Ruin Champagne

Champagne and sparkling wine have a certain festive atmosphere to them – we usually drink them when we celebrate something, like a wedding, the passing of the year, or even the birthday of a loved one. But most people don’t drink it frequently enough to know how to enjoy it correctly. While this is bad enough for them, considering that they are ruining the experience for themselves, it is also hurtful for true Champagne lovers to see this amazing drink go to waste like that. So, let us remind you today of the 4 worst ways people routinely ruin Champagne and quality sparkling wine.

Drinking it from the bottle

The first thing to know about Champagne is that, deep down, it is a wine, with all the complexities and aromas non-sparkling wines have. So, it is painful to see some people open up a bottle of Champagne, spraying it everywhere, then putting the bottle to their mouth and gulping it down as if they were drinking water.

Champagne has to be poured into a glass – not a flute, mind you – and enjoyed just like a fine wine, not poured down your throat like the drain!

Over-cooling it

Most Champagne varieties are best at a temperature of 8-10°C (47-50°F) – and this can be easily achieved by keeping them in an ice bucket for 15 to 20 minutes or keeping it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Yet people tend to disregard this, keeping their bottles of this sparkling goodness on cold for way too long. This prevents some of the finer aromas to reach the taste buds of the consumer, turning the experience into one that’s plainer than it should.

Unmindful consumption

Champagne shouldn’t be consumed like you drink a cup of coffee, Champagne deserves attention – it can be consumed as an aperitif, and paired with foods, but not like any other drink, with your mind wandering somewhere else…

Mixing it with horrible things

There are quite a few valuable Champagne cocktails that have been enjoyed throughout history – just think of the Bellini, French 75, or a spritz, made by mixing Prosecco or Champagne with a dash of a bitter liqueur like Aperol or Campari. But I’ve seen people irresponsibly mix Champagne and Prosecco with Red Bull or other energy drinks – not only does this ruin the taste of the Champagne, but the mix of alcohol and energy drinks can also be dangerous to one’s health.