The mystery of the champagne bottle — what is a jeroboam??  Now you know.  And a bunch of other stuff too.

Here are the various sizes, based on a 750-ml bottle.

• Split: a quarter-size bottle (2 glasses)
• Pint: half a standard bottle (3 glasses)
• Standard: a 750-ml bottle (6 glasses)
• Magnum: two bottles (12 glasses)
• Jeroboam: four champagne bottles (24 glasses)
• Rehoboam: six champagne bottles (36 glasses)
• Methuselah: eight champagne bottles (48 glasses)
• Salmanazar: twelve champagne bottles (72 glasses)
• Balthazar: sixteen champagne bottles (96 glasses)
• Nebuchadnezzar: twenty champagne bottles (120 glasses)

When deciding the number of wine bottles to purchase for a party, buy more wine than is needed, and allow for slight overages: calculate on the basis of five glasses of wine per 750-mL bottle, rather than six. A good rule is to be generous but never pressing.
To ascertain the number of wine bottles to purchase, remember that a glass is filled no more than half full, or 4 ounces. One bottle serves six people a 4-ounce drink; two bottles serves twelve people; three bottles serves eighteen people. Remember, allow for overages and have extra bottles handy.
The number of servings per bottle is largely determined by when the drink is taken.

Aperitif

• Aperitifs are served before meals when guests are thirsty; plan on five to six servings per bottle.
• When champagne is served as an aperitif, allow two glasses of champagne per person.

Table Wine

The amount of table wine is commensurate with the number of courses served with the meal and the length of time the guests are seated at the dinner table.

• Multi-Course Meals. At a multi-course meal, normally one glass of white wine and two glasses of red wine are served for a total of 12 ounces per guest.
• Simple Meals. At a simple meal, two glasses of wine are served per person, or a total of 8 ounces of wine per guest.
• Luncheons. At luncheon, one and a half glasses of wine suffice, or 4 to 6 ounces per person.
• Champagne with Meal. When champagne is served as a table wine, three glasses a person is sufficient.
• Dessert Wine. Because dessert wine is served at the end of the meal, one glass is sufficient. Based on a 3-ounce serving, a bottle of dessert wine holds approximately eight glasses.
• Champagne with Dessert. When champagne is served with dessert, one glass per guest is ample.
• Liqueurs or Cordials. Following dessert and coffee, guests have little appetite or thirst, and a liqueur or cordial is offered in a small glass. Liqueur and cordial bottles hold approximately sixteen servings, based on 1 ½ ounces per guest.
• Brandy. The average serving of brandy consists of an ounce or two. Generally one drink is served, and the average bottle of brandy holds around twelve servings based on a 2-ounce drink.

How to open a bottle of wine

Still table wine is opened with a spiral corkscrew.

1. Grasp the Neck. The neck is the weakest part of a wine bottle. Grasp the neck of the bottle to support it.
2. Remove the Foil. Use the blade of the corkscrew to cut the foil about 14 inch from the top. Otherwise, as wine pours over the foil the jagged edge will impart a metallic flavor.
3. Wipe the Outside Lip. To remove mold or dust that may lie underneath the capsule, wipe the outside of the lip.
4. Insert the Corkscrew. Gently insert the corkscrew in the center of the cork, but not all the way through. Otherwise small particles of cork may fall into the bottle.
5. Turn Slowly to Remove the Cork. To avoid crumbling the cork, use a slow turning motion and steadily ease it from the bottle.
6. Wipe the Lip. In the process of removal, the cork gently presses against the sides of the bottle and may leave a deposit on the inside of the neck. Before pouring the first glass, wipe the inside and outside of the lip to remove any traces of cork.
7. Save the Cork. Save the cork to reseal the bottle.

If the cork breaks, push it all-the-way into the bottle; and hold it down with a skewer or any long metal object while pouring.  Or, filter the wine through a fresh piece of muslin.

Using a corkscrew to open a bottle of sparkling wine causes the cork to compress against the neck of the bottle, which creates pressure that makes the wine explode from the bottle.  Instead, open as follows.

1. Remove the Metal Foil.
2. Twist the Metal Loop. Twist the metal loop attached to the wire muzzle to the left.
3. Remove the Muzzle.
4. Grasp the Bottle. Grab the bottle by the neck.
5. Hold the Cork with Your Thumb. To prevent the cork from shooting forth from pressure made by the bubbles, hold it in place with the thumb.
6. Hold the Bottle and Loosen the Cork. Hold the bottle in one hand, and with the other hand turn and loosen the cork.
7. Cover with a Napkin. To absorb any wine that may emit from the bottle when the cork is removed, cover it with a napkin.
8. Tilt the Bottle. A tilted bottle of sparkling wine transfers pressure away from the cork and puts it against the side of the bottle. Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle (pointed away from guests or breakable artifacts).
9. Push the Cork. Push the cork upward with the thumb, and gently ease it from the bottle to prevent a loss of wine.
10. Bang! The cork should expel with a soft sigh, rather than a loud bang.

How to pour a bottle of wine

1. Wrap a napkin around the neck for insulation.
2. Hold the bottle in the palm of your hand, label facing the guest, so he or she can observe the vintage.
3. Pour table wine down the inside of a glass.
4. Bring the bottle to the glass and twist the bottle over the glass to halt the drops to avoid spills.

Pouring Champagne

1. Pour champagne soon after the bottle is opened
2. Avoid stimulating the bubbles by pouring in a trickle
3. Pour a small amount of champagne into a glass, let the froth settle for a moment, then fill the glass three-quarters full.

How much wine to pour

Generally, leave enough room in the glass to gently swirl the wine and release the bouquet.
White and Rose:   pour 3 ounces into the glass – fill the glass one-third full.
Red:  pour 4 ounces –  fill the glass half full.
Champagne and Sparkling Wine:  pour 4 ounces – fill the glass three-quarters full.
Brandy: To create a chamber for the inhalation of brandy, only an ounce or two are poured.

Aeration of wine

Red wine is aerated by opening the bottle in advance of service. Aeration removes from the bottle musty odors, such as those from an unclean barrel.  The amount of time red wine needs for aeration depends on the age of the wine.  Young red wines, usually those under 8 years old, are strong in tannic acid and require 1 to 2 hours to aerate.  Mature red wines, generally those over 8 years old, are mellow and need to breathe for approximately 30 minutes, if at all.  Very old red wines require no aeration.  Wines with delicate bouquets, such as white wine, rose, champagne, and sparkling wines are not aerated and are opened just before service.

Decanting wine

If it’s too tannic to drink. Pour it back and forth between two vessels a few times.

Wine temperature