Death by Champagne?

I’m with you for sure that the mention of Champagne should bring about thoughts of celebrations, success, fun and happy times… No way should we be thinking about death! Only good thing with combining death with food and drink is our heavenly thoughts of death by chocolate.

“More people are killed each year by flying Champagne corks than bites from poisonous spiders. Of the nearly two dozen Champagne-accident fatalities a year, more than a third occur at weddings.” I read once again recently from a past article in the Daily Mail website.

Now just how dangerous is a bottle of Champagne? Should we fear them? Do we need a degree in wine to open one without suffering injury? Maybe just a load of twaddle with the odds of it happening more than you or I winning the lottery, but let us look at some facts on why Champagne or any other bottle of sparkling wine should at least get our upmost care, consideration and respect:

• Yes, people are killed by flying Champagne corks! Latest big news in this area was Dingxiang Loeng, Chinese business man, who was killed after being hit on the temple with a cork from a bottle of Champagne. Approx two dozen people are killed by Champagne corks each year with weddings the most common place this happens.
• A cork can leave a bottle of Champagne at a speed of 55 MPH and that is enough to smash through a Champagne glass, smash the face of your mobile phone or your spectacles too! Serious damage to your eye can be the outcome if you point it in the direction of your face so make sure you point that bottle, when opening, to a safe place, ideally where no one else is or nothing can be damaged (even better if you open with your thumb/hand over the cork).
• Sabering! Yes in-deed, a fantastic way of opening the bottle and a great party trick as I have mentioned in previously blogs. This though comes at risk to everyone as bottles are made of glass and fragments can travel at considerable distance at fast speeds and cause serious injury. Even the professionals can get sabering wrong so please do take care!
• “Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It goes without saying that though plenty of Champagne /sparkling wine for many will be just what the doctor ordered, in fact it could lead us to needing the doctor much faster than we could imagine! As with all alcohol, drink in moderation and study carefully what is considered the safe amount and do your best to stick by these guidelines.
• Sodium Metabisulfite… You all know exactly what that is don’t you!? Well, allergy is the word here when we study the case that Champagne is in fact a substance that some are allergic to. “Bad headaches are the most common sign of allergy to Champagne. In cases of extreme Champagne sensitivity, the person can experience painful migraine headaches. This symptom should be carefully monitored; report any headache lasting longer than one day to a physician.” Quote from LivingStrong.com

I promise that my intentions are not to scare you away from drinking Bubbly, you are just as much likely to suffer injury from toppling vending machines, stray golf balls or car park security barriers… As with everything you do in life, take care and maybe when you open that next bottle of bubbly, remember that in fact you are holding something that might cause you or someone else a bruise or two!