The weather is (finally) warming up and there is nothing better than a bottle of bubbly, some vitamin D, a patio chair and some great company! And if you’re like me, I always have a bottle (or 6) chilled and ready to be popped, but sometimes it’s not the bottle I want at that moment.
And with such a huge variety of bubbly around me at all times, I do have the luxury of chilling sparkling wine that I am craving at that very moment.
So it’s time to stock up on your favorite bubbly and get ready to soak up the sun and have some fun! If you’re needing to make a quick run to the grocery store for some bubbly for an impromptu get together, we’ve got you covered. And if you’re looking for some of my favorites from wineries on the west coast, check out Masía de la Vinya, Wilson Creek Winery, Sokol Blosser Winery, Argyle Winery, and Danza del Sol.
And before we get to chilling sparkling wine, let’s talk about what to do with that stockpile of bubbly you now have.
How to Store Your Bubbly
The great debate: do you store bubbly standing up or on it’s side like you do still wine?
I have been on the hunt for an agreement to this question and unfortunately I don’t have one because it seems every winemaker and winery employee has their own opinion.
Is there a right or wrong way? I have no clue, but would love an official answer. Here’s what I do know:
- Winemakers in Spain told me to always store my cava standing up because unlike wine, you don’t need to keep the cork from drying out.
- Winemakers in the states tell me they need to be stored on their side like regular wine.
- Others think that it’s more convenient to store your bubbly on its side with all of the other wine.
I tend to listen to the winemakers in Spain and just think it’s more logical to keep it standing up and always ready to be POPPED.
TIP: Never and I do mean never store your bubbly (or any wine or liquor for that matter) on top of your refrigerator. While it’s very convenient to do, those bottles will be agitated every single time a door is open or closed. And that will certainly not do your bubbly any favors.
Not to mention, the kitchen is typically the warmest place in your house and heat rises so storing bubbly (or wine) and temperatures that are too warm will affect the taste and longevity of the bottle.
Chilling Sparkling Wine
Bubbly is best enjoyed cold and for me the colder the better (for so many reasons) but here’s the suggested temperatures to enjoy each type of bubbly.
Keep in mind, that the warmer your bubbly the bigger the bubbles. For those who don’t love carbonation because of the bubbles, chill their bubbly a bit more. And if you need to “get rid” of even more bubbles, serve the bubbly in a champagne coupe not a flute. Why? Check out this blog post all about the different bubbly glasses and which one is the perfect one for you to use.
Experts tell us to not keep bubbly in the fridge too long, as it will affect your bubbles. Thankfully “too long” usually means months or years. But let’s be honest, I always have a bottle or two in my refrigerator (and sometimes it’s been months) and it’s always been fine, but in reality, it’s best that you chill it right before enjoying it.
So since technically we’re not supposed to keep bottles chilled and ready to pop, here are three very effective ways of chilling your sparkling wine.
Freezer
If you’re in a pinch, 30-35 minutes in the freezer will get your bottle to the proper temperature. So keep in mind, if you are opening and closing the freezer door, it will take longer amount of time to chill it to the proper temperature.
While the freezer is often not the preferred way, I almost always do this! What can I say, I’m impatient (and don’t want to make a mess with a bucket) and am usually using this method because I changed my mind last minute on what bubbly I wanted to enjoy.
Now, of course, I have this fancy thermometer to gauge the temperature of my wine and you can get your very own at the Bubbly Side of Life Amazon Storefront, but you don’t need one. Yes, it’s fun, but I honestly don’t use it all the time, just when I have a specific reason to.
Fridge
This is one of the preferred way, but you need to make sure you have the time to do so. Place a bottle in the fridge for about 2.5-3 hours to get to the proper serving temperature (again, that all depends on how much you’re opening and closing that door).
Ice Bucket
For most experts, this is the preferred method to chill your bubbly. If you have an ice bucket handy a mix of ice, water, and Kosher salt for about 15-20 minutes. Now don’t worry if you don’t have the salt available, you can still do this with ice and water, but it will take a bit longer than 20 minutes.
TIP: If you’re worried about the label coming off while it’s soaking in the ice cold water, wrap it in plastic wrap first.
Bubbly Essentials
So you’ve got your bubbly chilled and ready to go…do you need some fun bubbly outdoor essentials to enjoy it with? We’ve gathered our favorites over at our Bubbly Side of Life Storefront.
It’s time to stock up on acrylic bubbly glasses or outdoor wine buckets, cooling sleeves or drink cover ups….so many fun things to fully enjoy your time outdoors.
Let us know if there’s something you love while enjoying your bubbly and we’ll add it to our storefront.
Cheers to a summer of bubbly fun!
