Sparkling wine can be intimidating at first. With a few basic tips, you can conquer this skill and serve sparkling confidently.

Proper Chilling: The ideal serving temperature is 43-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Too cold or too warm and you will lose too much wine!

Tip: The best glassware for sparkling wine is a flute  - so that you can watch the bubbles as they slowly make their way to the top of the glass.

Removing the Cork - Safely!

Point the bottle away from yourself and others...

1. Remove the foil from the top of the bottle and untwist, but do not remove, the wire cage. Place your thumb on top of the bottle to prevent an unexpected pop of the cork.

2. Cover the top (cork and wire cage) with a cloth. Tilting the bottle at a 45 degree angle, firmly hold the cloth, the cork and the wire cage in one hand and slowly turn the bottle with the other. The cork should ease smoothly from the bottle with a delicate sigh, not a loud bang, preserving all the wonderful bubbles for you to enjoy.

3. Pour a splash down the side of a clean and soap-free unchilled sparkling flute. Let the foam subside a bit before filling the glass 2/3-3/4 full.