Champagne is synonymous with celebrations, and celebrations don’t come much more joyful than a New Year’s Eve bash.
Depending on the country, New Year’s celebrations vary, but they almost always include champagne as part of the festivities.
How much is a bottle of champagne? Read on to find out.
How Much is a Bottle of Champagne?
The average cost of a bottle of champagne varies from country to country, but on average, you can expect to pay around $40 for a bottle of champagne.
This includes the price of the champagne, the taxes, and the markup. The markup is what retailers and restaurants charge to sell their products.
Keep in mind that the cost of champagne varies with the most expensive bottles going for over 2 million dollars!
However, the average consumer can expect to pay somewhere around $40 per bottle or more.
Read our related article, How Big is a Split of Champagne? Champagne splits are perfect for parties, weddings, and other celebrations. Learn all about them here!
What is Champagne?
Some people refer to all sparkling wines as champagne, but this is incorrect.
Only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be labeled Champagne. This is why a bottle of Champagne is spendy.
The grapes used to make champagne are grown in specific regions in France, and once those grapes are picked, they are then processed into different types of champagne.
These regions produce grapes that are then turned into these different types of champagne to produce a wide variety of styles, from dry to sweet.
Champagne usually has a slightly fruity and flowery flavor. Fruit flavors can be anywhere from citrus or peach to a cherry or strawberry taste.
Sweetness levels can range from completely dry Brut Naturelle (zero sugar) to Doux champagne which is a sparkling dessert wine.
Read our related article on the Different Types of Champagnes for an in-depth guide to help you choose!
How Do I Open Champagne Bottles?
Don’t just pop the cork and let the precious champagne flow out. It’s such a shame to waste this delicious drink.
Instead, open the bottle carefully and you can preserve the champagne to enjoy!
- Remove the foil on the cap with a knife or foil cutter.
- Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle with your dominant hand on the neck of the bottle.
- Place one thumb on the wire cage to hold it still, and untwist the wire completely. Leave the wire cage on the cork, and do not remove your thumb from the cork.
- Keep your dominant thumb down on the cork while holding the neck of the bottle with the same hand.
- Use your non-dominant hand to rotate the bottle, while keeping the cork stationary. Rotate the bottle all the way around several times, loosening the cork.
- The cork should begin to lift out of the bottle. Allow the pressure to slowly, slowly release, keeping the cork and cage on the bottle until the cork is nearly out.
- Finally, release the cork and cage and keep the bottle tilted for about 2 minutes to allow the carbonation to stabilize in the liquid.
Need to see an expert use this method?
Check out this video demonstrating the perfect “pop” you want to see from a champagne bottle and discover why you need to direct the pressure while opening.
Use this method to open a bottle of Champagne and you’ll preserve the liquid but also allow the full flavor, aroma, and perfect bubbles to develop before serving.
What Kind of Champagne is Best?
There are many types of champagne available on the market today, and they range from dry to sweet.
One type of champagne alternative that is becoming very popular is sparkling wine – this type has pure grape juice added and some varieties have little or no alcohol at all.
Sparkling wine is often made similarly to a soda with carbon dioxide added during the bottling process.
Because of this, the bubbles in sparkling wine can be more abundant and forceful than in champagne.
Sparkling wines are the perfect choice for mixing other beverages such as cocktails or wine drinks such as sangria or red wine spritzers.
Wrapping Up
Champagne is the foremost celebration drink for New Year’s Eve, weddings, and other celebrations, but if you don’t want to spend a fortune buying enough for everyone, consider sparkling wine instead.
Many people prefer the greater sweetness and fruitiness of sparkling wine, and you may find that the substitution is a welcome one for your guests who don’t prefer the usual dryness of champagne.