Champagne coolers

A classic cooler is tall and narrow and fits around a single bottle. It stands beside the table or on a stand and leaves the neck clear, so topping up is easy. The diameter of around twenty centimetres is the decisive measurement here: a champagne bottle is wider at the base than a wine bottle, so a narrow wine cooler does not always fit.

A champagne bowl is low and wide and suits a party or reception where several bottles need to stand cold at once. A bowl of 34 centimetres takes two to three bottles, one of 43 to 47 centimetres four or more. Stainless steel is the most practical and stands up to daily use. Gold and copper are finishes that look better on a laid table but ask for more attention. Vintage aluminium is light and takes on a matt patina over the years.

Fill the cooler halfway with ice and add cold water until the bottle stands in the bath up to the neck. A handful of coarse salt speeds the process up further, because it lowers the melting point of the ice. A bottle at room temperature is ready to drink in twenty minutes this way; straight from the fridge, ten minutes is enough.

Turn the bottle a quarter turn now and then, so it chills evenly. Pour in two goes: a splash first, let the foam settle and then top up to about two thirds. For a mimosa or a kir royal you want the bottle just as cold as for champagne on its own, because a lukewarm base makes the cocktail sweet and flat.

Stainless steel may go in the dishwasher, but most coolers are too large for the basket and are quicker by hand. After emptying, dry the inside, because standing meltwater with salt leaves pitting over time. A cloth and a little vinegar remove limescale rings.

Copper and gold are electroplated layers that go dull from dishwasher tablets and abrasive cleaners; wash those by hand and dry them straight away. Aluminium must not go in the dishwasher at all, because the salt in the detergent eats into the metal. The cooler from Zwiesel Glas is meant for the table and deserves the same care as the glassware from that range.

A cold bottle calls for the right glass. For the narrow shape, look at the champagne flutes, for the wide one at the champagne coupes, and the full range is with the champagne glasses. If half a bottle is left, a champagne stopper keeps the bubbles in. If you want to open with a flourish, see the champagne sabres. Recipes with bubbles include the bellini.