Sometimes, a Champagne cork is so tight that you can't budge it. In most cases, running the cork under lukewarm water for a couple of minutes loosens up the bottle's grip on the cork. Another trick is to wrap the cork in a towel and twist it. The friction of the towel rubbing against the cork often loosens it.

In desperate cases, when even water or a towel fails to loosen the cork, you can use one of three devices to tackle the tough ones: Champagne pliers, the Champagne star, and the Champagne key. Your local wine shop should have these for sale. Just place the pliers, star, or key around the cork and gently twist off (making sure that the bottle isn't pointed toward anyone or anything breakable). In a pinch, a regular pair of pliers or a nutcracker can do the job (at the sacrifice of a bit of elegance or romance.)