Champagne has always been seen as a celebratory drink. At weddings, graduations, or any sort of exciting announcement. It’s smooth and slightly sweet, light and crisp, and an all-around excellent combination to make sure any night is properly celebrated.
In the past, champagne was seen as an expensive drink, only to be consumed by rich socialites, or for various occasions. No longer is this the case. Now, trendy restaurants boast a champagne brunch, filled with your choice of juice. Bars and nightclubs offer happy hour, where the bubbles flow and the laughs come naturally. However, as the drink has become more popular, different styles of glasses have been introduced to help perfectly pair with whichever bottle you choose. There are four main glasses to choose from:
- The traditional champagne flute
- The champagne tulip
- The old-fashioned Coupe
- The new and modern stemless
The Flute
One of the most popular types of glasses is the champagne flute. These flute glasses are delicate and elegant, with a long stem. The long shape is perfect for your drink to release some of its flavor without losing too much fizziness. The long stem is especially important, as it allows you to hold the glass without touching the bowl, thereby keeping your champagne colder, for longer. It is most ideal for drier sparkling drinks, such as Brut and Extra-Brut wines.
The Tulip
Similar to the flute with its long stem, the biggest difference in this glass is that the bowl is slightly larger. This allows the wine to better release flavor and works nicely when paired with fruity, aromatic sparkling wines, such as Rosé or Prosecco.
The Saucer or Coupe
Think of “The Great Gatsby” with this glass. The saucer here is flatter and wider, typically seen in more vintage shops and high-end restaurants. Many places will use this glass for the midnight toast to ring in the new year. The bubbles release earlier with this glass as they have more surface space, leaving the wine with a lighter and fruitier taste. Although these glasses are not used as often, it is fun with a sweet, sparkling drink like Asti Spumante.
The Stemless
As the name suggests, this is a more modern take on glasses and stemware in general. These still tend to be narrower than stemless wine glasses to help keep the fix, and they are also handy to keep you from spilling your drink.