The party is over, but that bottle of bubbly is still half full – too good to waste! An old trick suggests putting a spoon into the neck of the bottle to preserve the bubbles. But does this actually work?

The Myth of the Spoon in the Bottle

Many believe that inserting a spoon into the bottle’s neck keeps the carbon dioxide (CO₂) from escaping and helps maintain the fizz. However, scientific studies have shown that this effect is minimal at best – it’s more of a myth than a reliable method.

Why Sparkling Wine Loses Its Bubbles

Once you open the bottle, the pressure inside is released, and the CO₂ – which gives the wine its sparkle – begins to escape. Without that pressure, the wine slowly goes flat.

This process can be slowed by cold temperatures, since gases stay dissolved in cooler liquids longer than in warm ones. That’s why refrigeration helps, but only a little.

Does the Silver Spoon Actually Help?

A silver spoon might, in theory, help dissipate warmer air from the bottle’s neck and slightly reduce gas loss. But this effect is extremely limited and very short-lived. The spoon must touch the wine to have any effect, and only real silver conducts temperature well enough. Plastic or stainless steel? No chance.

What Really Works

If you don’t plan to finish the bottle right away (hard to imagine, we know 😄), there’s really only one effective method to preserve the bubbles:

• Use a sparkling wine stopper: A proper pressure-sealed stopper is the only reliable way to keep your fizz for longer. It maintains enough internal pressure to preserve the CO₂.
• Refrigerate immediately: Cold slows down the escape of CO₂ – it helps a little, especially when used with a stopper.
• Store upright: Obviously necessary to avoid leaks, but this doesn’t noticeably improve freshness.

Our tip: Use a proper sparkling wine stopper, chill the bottle, or better yet – call a friend and finish it together. 🥂

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