Thursday, October 1, 2026

Tip: Saving Champagne or Lambrusco

There are times I would enjoy a glass of champagne or wine if only I had a friend over to make opening a bottle worth it, or when I do have a friend over to share the Champagne or wine with -- as non-guzzlers of alcohol -- we enjoy our glass of wine yet don’t finish the bottle. Half a bottle of Champagne or Lambrusco goes flat soon after opening the bottle ... like the next day. 

But wait, in addition to making sangria with leftover wine, there’s an easy, inexpensive solution!

I figured out how to keep sparkling (or regular) wine just as fresh or bubbly as the day you open it. 

Here’s how:

1) Buy a champagne stopper. Walmart sells them for $3.50. In 2018, I got the Champagne Stopper by MiTBA on Amazon. If it's out of stock, enter the stopper name in a Google search box to see where else to buy them.

2) Save an empty Champagne or Lambrusco bottle to pour leftover and/or regular wine into. This is necessary because regular (non-carbonated) wine bottles do not work with the stoppers. The mouth of a regular wine bottle will not catch.

The MiTBA Champagne Stopper (the brand I use) is a leak-proof bottle sealer featuring a built-in pressure pump designed to keep sparkling wine, prosecco, and champagne carbonated for days. Other stopper brands that look similar to it will likely work as well. Decide if you wish to take the risk.

I have enjoyed leftover Champagne, Lambrusco, and non-carbonated wines 2 -3 weeks after opening a bottle. So now I’m not reluctant to open a bottle to drink a single glass of wine with a cheese platter or a nice dinner. Because you know what? It appears I’ll never be a heavy drinker. When having a glass of wine, I like its taste, but I don’t desire it any more (meaning quantity or frequency) than I desire other treats, like a piece of chocolate, an apple, or a slice of cake. The Champagne Stopper is ideal for cheap dates just like me!

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