A bottle plunged into a mixture of water and ice should reach the right temperature in 15 to 20 minutes.
In the refrigerator: Lie the bottle down on the bottom shelf for three or four hours before serving; you can leave it there even longer, provided that the temperature remains constant; this way you will always have a ready chilled bottle to pour should the occasion arise.
The right temperature: Champagne is best consumed chilled but never iced. The younger and livelier the Champagne, the cooler it should be served at 8ºC or 48ºF. A mature or vintage Champagne will be perfect at 10ºC or 50ºF. Over-chilling will mean that the wine is too cold to release its aromas and flavors.
Chilling your Champagnes in the freezer will ruin their aromas and flavors, so plan ahead with buckets of ice and coolers for chilling.
The Champenois often use large coolers that take several bottles at a time to chill their champagnes.
The right temperature: Champagne is best consumed chilled but never iced. The younger and livelier the Champagne, the cooler it should be served at 8ºC or 48ºF. A mature or vintage Champagne will be perfect at 10ºC or 50ºF. Over-chilling will mean that the wine is too cold to release its aromas and flavors.
Chilling your Champagnes in the freezer will ruin their aromas and flavors, so plan ahead with buckets of ice and coolers for chilling.
The Champenois often use large coolers that take several bottles at a time to chill their champagnes.
Opening:
Undo the wire cage (muselet), hold the cork (bouchon) in the palm of your hand and twist the bottle holding it at the bottom, the cork will come out of is own accord.
The Cork
The Cork
The shape and state of the cork, just like the gentle hiss or resounding pop upon opening, gives us an indication of how long the wine has spent in the bottle, and how long it has spent sitting on the shelf. If the cork splays out at the bottom (a) it means that the bottle is fresh and the cork still wishes to find its original shape. 
If the cork tapers in at the bottom (b) it means that the bottle is old, you will only hear a gentle sigh as the cork is popped.
The bubbles also show the age of the wine. Over the years the bubbles will gradually become smaller and smaller, before finally dying out.
A connoisseur will not be worried by the absence of bubbles in a very mature wine, something that might shock the uninitiated into believing that their wine is flat.
The Silver Spoon Fallacy:
Contrary to popular belief a silver spoon placed in the neck of the bottle, after opening, does nothing to preserve the wine’s effervescence. Only a proper Champagne stopper is the truly effective way of preserving the wine’s sparkle for many hours.
Serving:
When it comes to serving Champagne the choice and preparation of your glassware is very important. If there are no bubbles in your glass, don’t believe that your Champagne is flat, change the glass and watch the difference…
Which glass?
To fully appreciate a Champagne wine you must give it the glass it deserves. Its volume and height must be enough to allow the bubbles the space to form and rise to the surface, while allowing the temperature to remain as constant as possible.
The ideal shape is that of a tulip, the Champagne saucer is one to avoid as the aromas and bubbles have too much space and are soon lost into the air. The thickness of the glass also has a role to play, especially on the lips where its finesse heightens our sense of taste.
How to wash a Champagne glass?
Rinse the glasses in hot water without any trace of washing-up liquid, let them drain until dry, then store them upright sheltered from dust. The residues of washing-up liquid can inhibit the formation of the bubbles.
The ideal shape is that of a tulip, the Champagne saucer is one to avoid as the aromas and bubbles have too much space and are soon lost into the air. The thickness of the glass also has a role to play, especially on the lips where its finesse heightens our sense of taste.
How to wash a Champagne glass?
Rinse the glasses in hot water without any trace of washing-up liquid, let them drain until dry, then store them upright sheltered from dust. The residues of washing-up liquid can inhibit the formation of the bubbles.
Tasting Champagne:
Look closely, smell and taste.
Pour the Champagne so that the glasses are only half full.
Don’t forget to look at the color, admire the different shades of gold or pink. Watch the bubbles dancing - light, lively, generous, …
Then inhale its bouquet, slowly and at length, and then start again. Do you recognize aromas of fruits or flowers, or richer smells like hot rolls, vanilla, spices?
Finally, taste the wine. Keep it in your mouth for a few seconds. Start again. You will not only find the aromas you have identified with your nose but you will also uncover the true nature of your Champagne: smooth or full-bodied, delicate or complex.
Finally, taste the wine. Keep it in your mouth for a few seconds. Start again. You will not only find the aromas you have identified with your nose but you will also uncover the true nature of your Champagne: smooth or full-bodied, delicate or complex.