Champagne Glasses

When it comes to pouring and drinking bubbly, it is recommended to use a champagne glass. The shape of the glass is important when drinking the alcohol as the bubbles will be affected by it. Bubbles are synonymous with sparkling wine, and essential to its enjoyment because they are the means for experiencing the bubbly mouthfeel, as well as releasing flavour and aroma molecules. The classic choices for the enjoyment of sparkling wine are either a coupe or a flute glass. 

• A coupe glass is wide and short, whilst the flute glass is tall and narrow. The openness of a coupe glass means there is a greater surface area for the sparkling wine bubbles to be released. This means that as you sip, your experience will be more aromatic and flavoursome. However, this open surface area will also speed up the loss of bubbles, and thus lead to the accelerated 'flatness' of your drink.
• The champagne flute is the more popular choice. As they are narrow and long in shape, it minimises the surface area of bubbles rising to the surface. This slows the release of flavour and aroma. The narrowness of the rim also allows for your nose to be more fully immersed as you take each sip. Therefore, each time you take a sip, you will experience a more concentrated whiff of the wine aroma.
•  If you don’t have access to a champagne flute or coupe glass, any glass with a stem will do. The stem keeps the cool alcohol away from the warmth of your hands. Warm hands adversely affect the bubbliness and thus, the flavour of the wine. Takeaway: Don't drink sparkling wine from a drinking glass. 

Depending on what kind of glass you’re holding, the optimal way to hold it will vary. Keep in mind, the goal is always to keep the alcohol as cool as possible to not disturb the flavour by warming it with the heat of your hand.

• Holding a flute (or tulip) glass: Hold it by the stem. Some recommend pinching the top of the stem between your thumb and forefinger. Your little finger should rest just above the base to ensure the flute is steady.
• Holding a coupe glass: Coupes are low and wide drinkware. Though not as popular as flutes, they are known for being used to build sparkling wine towers, and one was famously used by Leonardo di Caprio to announce, ‘I’m Gatsby’ in The Great Gatsby. However, when holding one of these glasses, we don’t recommend you hold it the way Gatsby did for more than a photo op. Keep your alcohol chilled by holding your coupe glass with your thumb, and two fingers on opposite sides of the rim. Your ring and little finger should hover by the side.

When holding fancy drinkware, whether they are toasting flutes or Gatsby coupe glasses, as long as you’re not leaning your palm against the bowl, you can’t go wrong.

When pouring bubbly, whether it's for drinking or toasting, there is a clear and scientifically tested method to follow.

1. Pop the cork, and let the wine breathe and open in flavour.
2. Hold the bottle from the base, not the neck.
3. Pour from an angle, not straight down. This is done by tilting the glass (like you would to pour a beer), and allowing the alcohol (and bubbles – which contain much of the flavour) to gently slide into the glass.
4. When pouring, keep the flow slow and consistent. If bubbles are collecting around the sides and settling, you’re onto a winner.

Whether it’s to clean the bride and groom’s toasting glasses, or bulk amounts of glassware, washing and polishing can be a finicky job.

Follow the below steps to get streak-free, beautiful glassware everytime:

1. Wash in medium hot water, without a sponge (your clean hand should suffice).
2. If using dishwashing detergent, don’t rinse them afterwards.
3. Air-dry them upside down on a clean towel for up to five minutes.
4. Dry off residual moisture with a clean microfibre cloth. Take care to continually dry your hands as you go from glass to glass to avoid leaving streaks or fingerprints.