I'm not sure this is the place to post, but it's the closest section for food/wine ...

I've always thought (and been taught) that champagne is drunk from champagne flutes.

Yet when I took the Dom tour at Moet & Chandon earlier this year, at the the end of the tour I was surprised when we were sat down for a tasting of the Dom 2000 and they were serving it in a white wine glass.

They then even shook the glass much like you would to let red wine breathe/aerate.

I asked them, "Oh, this is odd. Do you not drink this with the champagne glasses?" And they told me that they use the glasses they used to allow the champagne to breathe.

Confused.

It depends on the champagne. Some really benefit from opening up a bit, others do not. I would bet though it was shaped like a white wine glass, but had one important addition, the bottom of the glass was roughed up a bit (etched either mechanically or with an acid) to allow a place for bubbles to congregate and rise.

Many people argue that a white wine shaped glass is best (opening a bit smaller in diameter than the body of the glass) as it concentrates the flavors and aromas that the bubbles carry over a regular flute.

The only way to tell is to try it in a couple different kids of glass and see which you prefer (if there is a difference). Obviously the wine itself is the same, it's what the different glasses do to your perception of it, and how much of a factor surface area, etc is.

Interesting.

Maybe I will try it ... I did end up with a bottle (though from duty free and not from their shop).

For science!

Thanks!

For some reason this thread reminded me of a scene from a movie I saw long ago. I forget the name of the movie but the female lead was Kim Bassinger. Her husband, a oil rich Texan had a line something like, "What do ya say we call room service and order us some of that there Don Perignon and some chicken friend steaks and watch the wrassilin on TV"

I just stick one of these in the bottle and go to town

I do that with the Port from Vincent Arroyo Winery........ LOL LOL

OK this is what I learned at a recent wine tasting. The tasting, incidentally, concentrated on the effect of the glass on taste rather than the beverage.

Couple of general rules: the colder the beverage, the more closed the glass should be. Sparkling wine is generally consumed at around 6 degrees.

However, there's a different type of glass for sparkling wine and champagne. The champagne glass should be a little wider, closer in shape to a white wine glass than a traditional 'flute'. Incidentally, you'll find that the opening of a white wine glass and a champagne flute is similar in diameter.

A narrow glass wil deliver the beverage closer to the rear of the tongue. A wide glass (like a red wine glass) will deliver the liquid closer to the front of the tongue.

The wider the body of the glass, the more the bouquet can develop. Some champagnes, particularly older ones, will benefit form opening the bouquet up. And since champagnes are not decanted, the best way to open up the flavours is in a wider glass.

As an aside, I participated in wine tasting at Berlucci Cellars. They served their (bottle fermented) sparkling wine in white wine glasses too.

Try this at home: take your favourite wine (red, white, champagne, doesn't really matter), and try it from a red wine glass, a white wine glass and a champagne flute. You'll be amazed at how different it tastes out of different glasses. Simply because the way the bouquet develops (depends on the width of the glass' bowl) and where on your tongue it is delivered (depends on the diameter of the rim).

NG1Fan

Sorry -- didn't realize people were still responding .. Thanks for the tip re: temperatures. I've read that elsewhere before but never really tried it. Likewise the taste test using the different glasses ... I've done so but never under any controlled conditions (ie., "Okay everyone, we're out of the proper wine glasses, we're just gonna have to make do!" )

I even have different types of glasses according to the right champagne.

Oh that this forum would give me oppurtunity to make this kind of French and snobby statement, cheers

Seriously, it depends on the age of people you're hanging around with.
In the 1950's, glasses were more FLAT like an ice bowl. They're called COUPE instead of glas in French and look like this:
http://ruaultsarl.nexenservices.com/...d=621&osCsid=1
I inherited those type of crystal glasses from my grandmother, so I still use them as well. Why not?

Then the fluts came into fashion and after this, the real champagne glasses you're referring to. These coupes are for Dom and more oenologist style:
http://www.baccarat.fr/fr/maison-dec...AL-CLAIR--.htm
I would recommend them as well for the quality of the crystal. And the brand of course.

So it depends. On the people and on the champagne. But watch out holding the glas in the right manner.

OK, sorry...
-> I'm out

Temperature is of the utmost importance..... some top quality Champagnes benefit from a higher service temperature, this allows the aromatics to be enjoyed to the maximum potential. In my experience, the most common (cardinal) sin with Champagne is over chilling.... things like putting it in the freezer or long term storage in the refrigerator are big no-no's with Champagne.

I favour a hybrid glass which is a cross between a traditional flute and a large red wine glass..... imho these are the best, but it is a pain to have to have yet another wine glass in the house.

Check out the Salon website for an idea on the ideal stems.... ^

The coupes are out of favor because they're said to
let the beverage go flat too quickly. But who drinks
it slowly enough to let the bubbles go away in the
space of one glass-life?

I've tried a few different glasses but the preferred method is still bottle to mouth

I love wine pretensions and employ them myself. I have a few bottles of Dom Perignon Rose 1999 and when serving them I use white wine glasses. I do that despite the wildly pretentious air it conveys because the older rose champagnes seem tastier when they are allowed to open. Others can describe the reasons and establish the logical basis, but i do it because it tastes better that way. I do the same with a handful of others but they are all older rose sparkling wines.

I know, I know and I hesitated to add it as it's always a question about style and even more wine pretentions .. but it's nostalgic as well to hold those 60 year old glasses and nipping at them. And indeed, it looks better.

Not to forget temperature ^

Just another glas s'il vous pla�t

There's always the " off the pert breasts of a nubile wench " option.

Ah, memories.

*** ducks to avoid punch in the kisser from Mrs Showbizguru ***