[Maccbean]

When you degass the bottles, is it just about giving them a quick pffff, and then doing the cap up very quickly, or is it about undoing the cap until you can get the lid off without the contents spilling all over the place, and all the gas being let out?

[rozalia]

I've been just letting small amounts of gas out to prevent the bottles getting too pressurised. However when you want to use the champagne, to prevent being showered by the explosive fizz (which happened to me yesterday), you need to keep twisting the cap for quite a longish time until you judge that the worst of the explosive gas has been released - then get your glass ready and enjoy. My husband chilled the bottle first as he thought the coldness would reduce the amount of gas, and of course it tasted better chilled.