Which glass should you use to drink champagne?

Which glass should you use for champagne – a coupe or a flute?

Champagne lovers have been debating for generations whether to use a flute or a coupe, and if you think that age-old argument might spoil your New Year’s Eve, you should know that the experts have their own views on the matter. Sommeliers and producers are confident that champagne should be served without either a flute or a coupe. The flute is too narrow: the bubbles tickle the nose, masking the aromas. The coupe is too wide, allowing the aromas to escape on both sides of the nostrils.

Champagne is a wine, and like all wines, it smells and tastes just like any other. However, champagne is unique in that it is considered a festive drink, and professionals recommend a flute-shaped glass, but with a rounded middle. The glass should be elongated like a flute, but rounded in the middle. An egg-shaped glass resembling a rugby ball is also considered ideal. The reason for this is the bubbles in the champagne, which would affect the taste of the wine if the glass were straight. Andreas Larsson, named the world’s best sommelier in 2007, believes that the best glass would be a flute-shaped glass with a wider base and a narrow mouth. The glass should enhance the taste and aroma of the drink, he says. However, according to Larsson, many restaurants and bars still serve champagne in glasses that are not up to standard.

Philippe Jamesse is the sommelier at Les Crayères, a gourmet restaurant in Reims. One of the leading experts in the field, he has developed four models of wine glasses specifically for himself. “The glasses were developed by a local glassmaker, and they provide a special sensation that other wine glasses cannot,” says Philippe.

When washing glasses in hot water, it is important to use a detergent designed for high temperatures.

The sommelier prefers round glasses, believing they are better suited to serving wine. He takes care to consider how the effervescence rises in the glass, wanting the base of the glass to be V-shaped but also tapered so that the bubbles can rise in tall columns. According to the sommelier, the middle of the glass should be as wide as a wine glass, because a material that is stretched has greater capacity to expand and enhances the aroma.

The bubbles carry the aroma from the bottom of the glass to the nose. Consumers should be aware that it is the effervescence that achieves this, and should hold the glass more firmly. They should also wash their glasses with hot water (without soap) to produce beautiful bubbles.

Chef Arnaud Lallement of Assiette Champenoise (another fine-dining restaurant in Reims) also says that customers’ expectations often influence how champagne is served. He admits to adapting his style to meet their needs, though he believes the different glasses are all enjoyable. For a sparkling aperitif, Arnaud says that older vintages and brighter champagnes are served in larger diamond-shaped flutes, whilst wines are poured into larger Burgundy glasses.