what really happens when you uncork a bottle • Food and Wine Italia

When the cork of a bottle of Champagne flies into the air and echoes with an unmistakable “bang”, it is immediately a celebration but behind this celebratory gesture lies a complex physical phenomenon. It was studied by a group of researchers from the University of Reims, sopra the French region that is the birthplace of the most famous sparkling wine sopra the world. The : to understand sopra detail what happens sopra the few milliseconds sopra which the bottle opens and the gas escapes. Durante view of Champagne day acceso October 24th it seems like a good pensata to find out what’s behind this “pop” at the outbreak.

The science of the Champagne cork

Using infrared and high-speed cameras, the researchers observed the opening of three bottles stored at different temperatures – 4, 12 and 18 °C – capturing images that show, after , the behavior of carbon dioxide. This, invisible to the naked eye, releases like a cloud from the neck of the bottle at the exact moment sopra which the cork gives sopra to internal pressure.

The typical mist that is observed when uncorking, however, is mainly paio to a mixture of vapor and ethanol vapor. The analysis revealed that the temperature of the wine directly affects the dynamics of the cork. When the Champagne is warmer, the cork projects upwards with greater speed: carbon dioxide, less soluble at high temperatures, concentrates sopra the upper part of the bottle, increasing the pressure of the gas and therefore the force of the release.

the contrary, a colder bottle contains a greater quantity of carbon dioxide dissolved sopra the liquid, and a smaller quantity sopra the neck of the bottle, resulting sopra a more controlled and less violent uncorking.

According to what is reported sopra the study, published sopra the Journal of Food Engineering, only a small part of the energy released at the moment of opening – around 5% – serves to project the cap upwards. The remainder is dispersed sopra the form of a shock wave, the same one that produces the dry and recognizable sound that accompanies end-of-year toasts.

The result also suggests a practical aspect: to prevent the cork from becoming an unpredictable projectile, the bottle should be kept well refrigerated, around 4°C. Durante addition to better safety, a lower temperature also guarantees a more delicate release of the bubbles, preserving the perlage and aromatic freshness of the wine. Having said that: Champagne (like any other wine) should never be opened making loud bangs and sounds unless you are Lewis Hamilton and have won a Modo di dire 1 grand prix.