Silver spoon

For a long time it was considered an incontrovertible fact that a silver spoon in the neck of an opened bottle of sparkling wine delays the release of carbon dioxide. It is true that sparkling wine warmed by room temperature loses the gas more quickly than cold wine because such gases are more soluble in cool liquids than in warm ones. The protruding head of the spoon supposedly serves as a radiator and radiates the heat received at the stem, which is conducted upwards. The residual air in the bottle cools and thus stops the gas from escaping. The effect increases with the length of the spoon handle.

So much for the conventional wisdom. However, a study in the magazine "New Scientist" proved that the "silver spoon trick" only has an effect to a barely demonstrable extent. The test was carried out with two champagne bottles (one without, one with a silver spoon). The amount of carbon dioxide was identical on each of the following days. After four days, both champagnes were completely stale. In the meantime, this result was confirmed by further studies. The far better solution to the problem is a closure that seals the bottle tightly. In principle, however, it is advisable to consume sparkling wine immediately after opening the bottle, because only then does it have its full aroma and the highest content of bubbles. For more information on this topic, see also sparkling wine and wine enjoyment.