Why Flutes, Anyway?
Speaking of bubbles, carbonation is the reason we serve Champagne in flutes. The thin, elongated profile of a Champagne flute is designed to showcase the effervescence, and there’s no denying that flutes are aesthetically pleasing. But wine professionals, sommeliers, and sparkling wine producers agree that the narrow design of a flute “mutes” the aroma, flavor, and complexity of your bubbly. While swirling your glass before you sip helps you smell and experience the wine’s unique characteristics, flutes tend to be thin and top-heavy–so swirling isn’t really an option. “A Champagne flute may feel celebratory, but it restricts airflow to the wine, dampening its aroma and flavors,” says Maximilian Riedel, CEO and President of the renowned wine glass company Riedel. “It actually makes Champagne smell yeasty, and the tall shape allows bubbles to escape directly out of the top of the glass.” It’s a shame to serve or sip any wine in a way that limits its tastiness, but it’s especially distressing if you’ve spent a lot on a bottle for a special occasion.
So How Should You Serve Sparkling Wine?
The great news is that it’s something you already own: a standard white wine glass. The fuller, rounder, and more open shape of the glass allows your sparkling wine to more readily express its unique flavor profile and characteristics—and there’s more space for your nose and taste buds to experience what you’re sipping.
No Coupes, Either
This truth about flutes goes for serving sparkling wine in coupes, too. They’ve got unbeatable 1920s flapper-party flair, but according to Riedel, they also diminish the character of your bubbly. “A coupe’s wide bowl fails to trap any aromas and allows bubbles to escape quickly, meaning the wine goes flat faster,” he says. But don’t worry if your kitchen is stocked with flutes and/or coupes—these are still great glasses for Champagne cocktails. And if you really want to do your bottle justice, Riedel makes a specialty wine glass ($39, amazon.com) dedicated to serving Champagne.
