To help banish the waste this New Year, Aldi has partnered with a top wine expert to offer simple tips for opening a bottle without the fizz fear
As New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, many of us will be planning to ring in the new beginnings with a bottle or two of bubbly.
However, there’s nothing more frustrating than popping the cork and having your drink fizz up and spill all over the place.
Recent research from Aldi has revealed that on average, Brits waste 426,100 litres of sparkling wine every year – equivalent to a staggering 568,134 bottles and over 2,000 bathtubs full of bubbly due to lack of confidence in opening a bottle.
READ MORE: I’m a wine expert – forget Prosecco, this is the wine everyone will be drinking in 2025′
In a bid to help reduce this wastage during the New Year celebrations, the supermarket has teamed up with renowned wine expert, Mistress of Wine Sam Caporn, to provide some simple tips for opening a bottle without any fear of the fizz.
So, here’s how you can pour your wine without wasting a single drop, as reported by the Express.
How to open your sparkling wine
Firstly, take off the muzzle and immediately put your hand over the cork to prevent it from flying out if it’s a particularly fizzy one.
Next, hold the bottle in the palm of your hand, tilting it away, and keep the cork steady with one hand while twisting the bottle, not the cork, with your other hand. Turn gently until the cork comes out easily.
For a classy opening, aim for a soft sigh rather than a loud pop. If the cork is being stubborn, a tea towel can provide extra grip while maintaining control.
Forget the flute and coupe – a tulip-shaped glass is the best choice for your bubbly, which might surprise some. It keeps the fizz lively while allowing you to fully appreciate the aroma.
Pour your bubbly with a tilt and a gentle hand to avoid a frothy mess, just like you’d nurse a beer into a glass without the foam. If it starts to bubble over, pause for a bit before carrying on.
Once you’ve savoured your drink, if there’s any fizz left, make sure to use a proper stopper to keep it sparkly for the next day – forget the old wives’ tale about sticking a spoon in it, silver or not.
Looking for budget-friendly bubbles for your New Year’s toast?
Cremant is the word on everyone’s lips, as one supermarket chain reports a spike in sales of its Cremant du Jura this holiday season, with customers keen to find a more wallet-friendly alternative to Champagne.
And what better time to indulge than now, with Aldi’s Cremant de Loire getting a price slash from £8.99 down to a mere £4.99?
But you’ll need to act fast this deal only runs until December 31 or while stocks last.
With such an irresistible offer, Aldi is bracing for a shopping frenzy and has set a two-bottle limit per customer. This comes after the promotion was dubbed “the slashed-price steal of the season” by none other than Jane MacQuitty, the esteemed wine critic at The Times.
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