Popping the cork
Though they both have bubbles, champagne and sparkling wine are not one and the same.
Champagne hails from a region in France that is as rich in history as it is in grapes. The region lies at a crossroads that has seen the likes of monks, warriors, barbarians and royalty.
During the Hundred Years' War and the Thirty Years' War, armies tromped back and forth across the landscape. By the 17th century, the city of Reims had seen destruction seven times and Epernay some 25 times.
But the crossroads also brought trade. The medieval counts of Champagne encouraged commerce and they were strong enough to protect the traveling merchants.
They created the then famous Fairs of Champagne. Though these fairs were mainly about cloth, they benefitted the wines of Champagne as it gave them easy exposure and access to important wine markets.
Today in America, champagne and sparkling wine are sold side by side. It's true that champagne is definitely sparkling wine, but sparkling wine is not champagne unless it undergoes a secondary fermentation process in the Champagne region of France.
Regardless of which you prefer, it helps to know how to open a bottle without putting somebody's eye out.
Niall Freyne, owner of Galway Tribes Irish Pub and Restaurant in Frankfort, knows a bit about the process. He recently demonstrated it for us.
1. Make sure your bottle is chilled. A warm bottle will open with a vengeance.
2. Wipe the bottle down so you don't drip on your guests or tablemates.
3. Remove the foil by tugging on the tab.
4. Remove the wire cage by slowly turning the metal ring toward you until the cage comes free.
5. Put a napkin over the cork -- just in case.
6. Keeping one thumb on the punt, or indentation at the bottom of the bottle, and the other hand on the cork, slowly twist the bottle, NOT the cork. This will let the gas out slowly, Freyne said.
When pouring champagne, fill flutes halfway, adding slowly to each glass until champagne reaches 1 1/2 inches from the top of the glass.