Champagne Trends for Global Champagne Day

Champagne, a wine which is held in the highest esteem finds itself with a nominated global day to appreciate and celebrate it. Naturally, champagne is a French wine which is almost solely produced in the region of Champagne (a few are made in additional regions with the resulting wine being called Fromenteau in Champagne) under the rules of the appellation in place. Due to its exclusivity and luxury nature, Champagne is one of the most famous types of wine in the world and is consumed on a global scale due to it being the international go-to when celebrating.

What is the difference between wine and champagne glasses?

As everyone knows, you only serve red wine in a red wine glass, white wine in a white wine glass and champagne in a champagne glass. The question though, what is the difference between a wine glass and a champagne glass. Well, where both are concerned, they are made up of three sections:

• The Foot
• The Stem
• The Bowl

For both the stem and foot are similar and ultimately both serve the same function, it is the bowl where wine and champagne glasses deviate from one another. Now, obviously not all wine glasses are the same with red, white and rose glasses all differing from one another, but visually they all feature wide, round bowls. Champagne glasses (and to a lesser extent other sparkling wines) typically fall into one of three different types of glass: the flute, the tulip and the coupe.

So, why are champagne glasses designed that way?

Well, in most restaurants or social settings where champagne is being served the bottle will be accompanied by champagne flutes. The reason for this tall, elegant design of the bowl is to maximise the theatre of the drink and to allow the bubbles more time to form and make their way to the surface. The flute also allows aromas to be concentrated in a smaller area adding to the drinking experience by focusing the drinks fragrance in a more localised manner. As we mentioned, flutes are not the only champagne glass design. A tulip shape still possesses a tall bowl much like the flute but does not have the narrowness. Instead, it is adorned with a slightly wider bowl shape, this allows aromas to build within the bowl due to its larger surface area making them subtler and not as pungent when compared to the flute. Finally, we come to the less common champagne coupe. The champagne coupe’s popularity was at its height in the early 20^th century and to this day it epitomises 1920s style and extravagance. Today however, it has fallen to the wayside thanks to the superior drink enhancement which is afforded by the other two glass types. The coupe’s short depth and wide-open rim means the bubbles soon run flat and any fragrance quickly escapes. But if you want to recreate the sophistication and get the Great Gatsby look then we would fully recommend opting for a champagne coupe.

Does the shape of the glass affect the taste of champagne?

The short and simple answer is yes but allow us to elaborate on why the taste of drinks (particularly wines) are affected by glass type. As most people know, wine glasses are specific to their type as each glass allows the different wines to breathe and move in a way which maximises their taste and tones. Where champagne is concerned the experience is enhanced when enjoyed in a long narrow glass such as a tulip or flute. The reason for this is the bubbles, or more specifically the carbon dioxide. A study which was reported on the Daily Mail found that CO₂ is a potent irritant of the nasal canal which is why when we sip on champagne it gives the nose a tingling sensation. However, the role of effervescence goes further than just aesthetics and nose tingles, the concentration of CO₂ is key to creating the flavour and texture which is so unique to champagne. When flutes and tulips were compared with coupe glasses due to their shape the carbon dioxide takes longer to escape meaning the champagne stays aerated for longer preventing it from going flat as quickly. Here at Alliance Online we have a wide range of champagne glasses including flutes, tulips and coupes. As we near the party season with Christmas and the New Year on the horizon make sure your bar has a full offering of complimentary glassware which is commercial grade and will meet the requirements you need. Additionally, browse our barware range too as we have a comprehensive product offering which caters for all aspects of bar and cocktail work.