Etiquette question about serving champagne

[Onlooker]

When a guest brings a bottle of champagne, and you're likely to only use one bottle, do you serve your champagne or their champagne? What if they brought cheap champagne or expensive champagne, does that make a difference?

[Drum]

1. I was about to quip "Shake well!" but yours is a good question.

:shrug:

Can anyone familiar with Miss Manners et al help out here?

[flvegan]

2. Drink both. Problem solved.

And after the second bottle, you'll think most other problems are solved, too. Until the next morning, that is.

[LeftyMom]

3. Assuming theirs isn't chilled, use yours.

It's a gift to you, not a contribution to a potluck. The idea is for you to enjoy it later, so offer the drink you selected for the evening's festivities and brought to the proper temperature at your event. That said, if what they brought looks good and you have time to chill it, a change in plans would be fine as well.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. It is a fallacy that a host has to serve wine brought by a guest.

The wine is a gift - use it some other time.

Unless they brought a really classy vintage and you want to share it with everyone, then go ahead, but you are under no obligation to do so. And if your guest feels put out by that, then I feel sorry for that guest.

Drink the champagne you intended to serve!

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

10. Oh, this is completely unrelated to the subject, but I was just gonna let you know

I spent 4 hours last night moshing and listening to the metal you posted your rant about. So there :P

This pointless and childish message was brought to you by:

[Lyric]

5. I'm no Miss Manners, but...

I'm pretty sure you should serve your guests whichever champagne is of the best quality, regardless of who purchased it. If you plan on cracking the champagne soon after your guests arrive, then whichever bottle has been chilled longest would be best. If your guests are arriving at, say, 8:00, but you won't be serving champagne until midnight, then whichever bottle is of the best quality should be chilled and served.

If both bottles are of the same quality, you can always politely ask your guests if they have a preference. :)

[ElboRuum]

6. Problem with that...

If the champagne you have is a better quality, and the guests know this, isn't it possible that you could offend them by not popping their bottle? :shrug:

[Lyric]

7. No--their champagne is a gift.

There is no rule that says you must serve something that was given to you as a gift. If anything, they will likely be grateful that you were considerate enough to serve them the best you had.

[ElboRuum]

8. Etiquette itself is an issue, I suppose.

The point of it is to reduce/nullify the possibility of offense in social gatherings. If people don't either abide or, in the possibility I mentioned, respect etiquette when it is received (through ignorance of etiquette specifics itself), then it fails to accomplish its goal. That there even ARE questions about it indicates, at least to me, that these rules of social bonhomie aren't fully known by all who may be called upon to exercise them.

You're right, though. The rules of etiquette in this case WOULD indicate you serve your guests the higher quality champagne.

[pitohui]

9. i serve the chilled champagne

if theirs is warm from the drive, i keep it for later or another occasion, of course with MUCH effusive thanks

never had anyone get peeved by this, esp. if they are asked back later to help empty the more expensive and now properly chilled bottle

i'm no emily post tho...