[gerry myer]

Gerry Myer asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Why does a teaspoon put in the top of a half filled bottle of Cava (or champagne) keep the drink fresh, with its bubbles until the next day at least (I've tried this - it does work)

What do you think?

[LeeE]

Although I've drunk a fair amount of champagne and cava in my time, I don't ever remember hearing that one.  But then the belief that it would go off if not drunk was always a good enough reason to finish the bottle (and have a new bottle the next day <wistful_sigh>I was getting 1976 vintage M&C for £11/bottle at the time</wistful_sigh>).

[JnA]

We have done the experiment and it shows little difference. Let me repost the results here:

Terry's Great Champagne Experiment!

Day 1. 3.30 pm.

Opened both bottles, and poured a glass from each. Drank said glasses. Both quite nice, despite being from $5 bottles and being consumed in the middle of the afternoon. Both quite bubbly.

Placed both bottles in the door of my fridge. Placed a teaspoon in the neck of one!

Stay tuned for further reports!
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Day 2. 4 am (PT + 0/12:30:00)

Drank two more half glasses, one from each bottle. No noticable reduction in bubbliness, no noticable variation between the glasses.
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Day 3. 12.30 am (PT + 1/09:00:00)

Distinctly less bubbly now than when first opened. No readily identifyanble difference in the bubblyness between the bottles. Swiss female research assistant concurs (at lest she did before she fell asleep).

Day 3. 9.30 am (PT + 1/18:00:00)

Little change from previous report.
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Day 4. 3 pm (PT + 2/23:30:00)

Wine is still in relatively good condition. Remarkably little degradation of bubblyness over the last 48 hours (at least my perception of it, as this aspect is not controlled). No readily identifying difference in the bubblyness between the bottles.
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Day 6. 7.30 pm (PT + 5/04:00:00)

What do you know. Still bubbly. Both bottles.
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Day 9. 9.30 am (PT + 7/18:00:00)

Remarkably, both bottles still have some fizz, at least on pouring. Both rather flat to drink, and it's starting to taste funny.
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Day 14. 2 am (PT + 12/10:30:00)

Poured two more glasses. Nearly flat, but still enough fizzyness to form a high density of small (diameter < 1 mm) bubbles on the glass. Tastes much better than last time. No observable difference between the bottles.

In the interests of my reputation, I hereby declare Terry's Great Champagne Experiment completed.
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The theory that a teaspoon placed in the neck of an opened bottle of champagne improves the longevity of the wine was tested by storing two bottles of Australian sparkling wine in a fridge with a teaspoon in the neck of one. The wine was sampled over a period of two weeks. The bubblyness of the wine from each bottle was tested by the investigator drinking a half glass from each bottle. Some of the observations were confirmed by Swiss female research assistant. The apparent persistence of effervescence---though not a controlled aspect of the experiment---was quite remarkable. At no stage was there a detectable difference between the wine from each bottle. The conclusion must be made that the "teaspoon in the neck of the bottle" theory be classed as an "urban myth".




This experiment was conducted November 1999.

Feel free to start a 21st century one.

[thedoc]

Listen to the answer to this question on our podcast.

[chris]

We have done the experiment and it shows little difference.

Absolutely brilliant! Thanks JnA !

Chris