Sure, there's a lot to consider when you buy that special bottle of
New Year's bubbly. But while you're weighing all the obvious questions
about vintages and price, here's a less obvious but equally important
consideration -- namely, how you're going to serve it.

We're talking the real essentials of Champagne and
other sparklers, as in the ways to chill them, open them and even tell
if you've enjoyed too much of them. With that mind, here are some items
to add to your New Year's Eve shopping list.

The chiller: There are many ways to get that bottle down
to the right temperature -- and we're not talking sticking it in the
fridge. If you're looking for something quick and efficient, Cooper Cooler
makes a plug-in chiller, available starting at $59.99, that promises to
cool a bottle to 43 degrees Fahrenheit in six minutes. But there's also
the traditional ice-bucket route -- just make sure you add both ice and
water to speed the cooling (ice alone takes longer).

The opener: Worried you'll poke your eye out? Metrokane, maker of the popular Rabbit corkscrew, has a clever (and relatively affordable) solution with its Champagne Pliers ($20). The company touts the gizmo as "perfectly shaped to fit over the cork, grasp and remove it with ease and safety."

The mixer: Sure, great bubbly can easily stand on its own.
But we love sparklers for the effervescence they also bring to
cocktails. Many fruit syrups and juices or liqueurs make for fine
pairings: Think such classic champagne cocktails as the Kir Royale
(champagne and crème de cassis) or the mimosa (champagne and orange
juice). But master sommelier George Miliotes, beverage director of the
Seasons 52 restaurant chain, gave us another suggestion -- Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice. With its sweet and tart flavor, "it pairs beautifully," Miliotes said. (And don't forget all those health benefits of the antioxidant-rich fruit, either!)

The glass: Even though coupe glasses are making a
comeback, most wine experts agree you'll want a flute for your bubbly
-- it's the design that best brings out the fizz. As beverage buff
Joyce Weinberg, founder of New York Food Tours, said: "You want to
allow the carbonation to travel vertically." Her recommendation: Stick with one of the classic names in stemware, Riedel.
"They're the experts," Weinberg added. Riedel's top-of-the-line flute,
the Sommeliers model, sells for as much as $60 (apiece!), but its more
basic ones can be found for under $50 for a set of four.

The drive home: Concerned that you may have enjoyed a bit too
much of your bubbly? Before you take a risk by driving home, consider
doing your own breathalyzer test. Q3 Innovations' line of AlcoHAWK digital breath alcohol detectors,
are one such option. The AlcoHawk PRO model comes with such handy
features as a hard carrying case, 9-volt battery and car power adapter.