My niece and her friends swear to me that the fizz can be retained in an open bottle of Champagne (indefinitely), if one suspends the handle of a silver spoon or fork into whatever fluid is left in the bottle. She claims this is common knowledge, that is, every one knows it but I.
My knowledge of chemistry and physics, while good, does not suggest any explanation, if this is true. I find it all but impossible to believe, and have told her so, but there’s always the (vanishingly small) chance I am wrong.
Yes, yes, I know – I should perform this experiment myself, but I have not been able to do so, primarily because the very notion of leaving Champagne in an opened bottle, even in the interest of science, strikes me as sacrilegious.
Incidentally, I have the same problem with people who complain about what a tough time they have had getting the cork back into a bottle of wine. For me, the problem has simply never come up.
So, any ideas, or should this whole silver spoon business be relegated to the same page as curing warts down in the swamp?
Aha! The master has already spoken on this subject. He seems to have assumed that any alleged effect would be due to actual contact between the silver spoon and the liquid in the bottle, A possibility which I had never considered before since I had presumed we would be talking about a bottle which is half full (or half empty if you prefer).
Silver spoons seem to have quite a reputation for doing remarkable things such as: ‘a poisonous mushroom will blacken a silver spoon’ (utter and dangerous hogwash).
I think you have identified the best method. As a former drinker of various quantities of alcoholic beverages I found that the only good method for retaining freshness was to not leave partly full bottles sitting around. Empty them!