Why You Should Think Twice Before Chilling Champagne In The Freezer

Nothing says celebration like a bottle of champagne. Whether it's a retirement, a special anniversary, or a marriage proposal, champagne is a go-to beverage when raising a glass and marking a milestone occasion. But whether these occasions come upon us on the fly or are perfectly planned, it's easy to forget to place that favorite bottle of bubbly in the fridge so it is properly chilled and ready to go. What do you do when faced with this quandary?

One thing you don't want to do is serve someone a warm glass of champagne, which actually isn't very bubbly at all. As Quench Essentials explains, if champagne is served at a temperature that's too high, those effervescent bubbles turn "frothy" or "foamy." And since champagne is all about those bubbles, you definitely should avoid uncorking a bottle that is warm. On the flip side, champagne that is "too cold" loses the fragrant touch on the tastebuds. Neither scenario is ideal.

The blog Wine Perspective, which is run by chemist and university lecturer Alexander Pandell, points out that once the cork is popped, the damage is done and cannot be repaired. Pandell goes on to reveal that when serving champagne, chilling it for 24 hours in the refrigerator is preferable. However, if that timing isn't in the cards, don't panic and put your champagne in the freezer.

Chef Rusty Bowers revealed to Food & Wine, there are a couple of reasons you should skip the freezer when you need to quickly chill your wine, sparkling or otherwise. Bowers said, "As for white and sparkling wines, we've all popped them in there for a quick chill only to forget and go beyond the point of optimum chill and burst the cap or cork. Freezing also reduces carbonation." What can you do instead?

Bowers suggests using a bucket of ice water to bring down the temperature of your champagne in a pinch. Ina Garten is also a fan of chilling champagne in an ice bucket bath, according to her Instagram. Of course, WKYC points out that if you want to cool that bubbly even faster, you can add some salt to your ice and water. The news outlet says just a quarter-cup of salt will make water's freezing and melting points drop, which causes it to cool faster. 

WKYC put this concept to the test with a bottle of wine and discovered in as little as nine minutes, the temperature was brought down to 54 degrees. Per G.H. Mumm Champagne, you want your sparkling wine to be between 46 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit when you drink it; however, it also notes that there are some types of champagnes that need to be served between 53.5 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit.