What is a muselet?

What is a muselet?

• A. A wire cage that holds the cork at the sparkling bottle neck
• B. A bottle cap
• C. A cork made of wood
• D. A metal screw for closure

Answer: (A)

A muselet is the wire cage that holds the cork in place on sparkling wine bottles. Because Champagne and similar wines are sealed under high internal pressure, the cork would be forced out without a secure restraint. The muselet, a twisted metal cage wrapped around the cork at the bottle neck, keeps the cork in place and prevents it from ejecting. The foil at the neck covers the cork, but the term muselet refers specifically to that wire cage. It’s not the bottle cap, not a wooden cork, and not a screw closure, which is why the wire cage is the correct description.

A muselet is the wire cage that holds the cork in place on sparkling wine bottles. Because Champagne and similar wines are sealed under high internal pressure, the cork would be forced out without a secure restraint. The muselet, a twisted metal cage wrapped around the cork at the bottle neck, keeps the cork in place and prevents it from ejecting. The foil at the neck covers the cork, but the term muselet refers specifically to that wire cage. It’s not the bottle cap, not a wooden cork, and not a screw closure, which is why the wire cage is the correct description.