Choosing the Right Champagne Glass
Photo: André Baranowski
When it comes to getting the most pleasure out of a sophisticated champagne like the vintage ones described in Vintage Beauties, the kind of glass the wine is served in makes a considerable difference. Though they possess a certain retro chic and are de rigueur for a classic champagne fountain, the shallow, saucerlike stemmed glasses known as coupes allow both fizz and fragrance to dissipate quickly, as do tall, trumpet-shaped glasses. And since part of the fun of champagne is in being able to see the bubbles, heavy crystal glassware with etched or beveled surfaces is not a good choice. This is a situation in which the old standby is still the best: tall, unornamented flutes, that taper inward slightly at the mouth. Their shape retains both the bubbles and the bouquet, and their simplicity keeps the spotlight where it belongs: on the wine. What should you do with all those coupes in the cupboard? Well, they're fine for serving ice cream.
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