The serving of champagne
The right glass
Coupe (Tazza)
No other glass should be able to record more romantic myths than the famous 'Coupe'. After centuries of tradition are Champagne and Coupe glasses are virtually inseparable. However, wonderful anecdotes surrounding the legendary Coupe do not hide the fact that it is completely unsuitable for champagne in terms of form and function. Just holding the wide glass in the palm of your hand causes the champagne to heat up unflatteringly quickly. On top of that, the bowl is wide, so that precious bouquet substances are inevitably lost to the nose. In addition, the appearance of the bubbles is impaired. However, if you want to create a classic champagne pyramid, the Coupe glass is ideal (see: Champagne Pyramid).
Flute (flûte, champagne flute)
The elegant flute is distinguished by its tall, slender shape, impressively showcasing the color, bouquet and sparkle of the champagne.
Tulip
The tulip glass offers both an elegant and functional form that is considered far superior to the flute among connoisseurs:
- With a tulip glass without cuts or decorations, nothing stands in the way of optimal viewing of the pearls.
- The design of the tulip is harmoniously balanced in dimensions (unlike the conical shape of a champagne flute).
The diameter of the rim of the glass is tuned so that both the eye and the nose can devote themselves independently to the pleasure (unlike a coupe). - A slight inward bulge collects the rising, fine bouquet substances at the top of the glass.
A beautiful example of an ideal tulip glass from the Spiegelau series 'Grand Palais' (mouth blown).
Thus, the optimal glasses for champagne (and other sparkling wines) represent either flute glasses or tulip glasses. You can see a nice selection of matching glasses in the shopping area.
More tips
- Soap residue in a glass relaxes the champagne and also adds an unpleasant aftertaste. (Therefore: be sure to rinse the glasses thoroughly with clear hot water! ). The cloth that may be used for drying should also be free of any residue (such as soap or even grease).
- Never use chilled glasses in conjunction with champagne! Mortal sin!
- Cruel instruments like 'champagne whisks' or 'champagne whisks' are completely out of place. With an unpleasant clinking sound, these undingers destroy in seconds what has been created over years: the precious pearls!
- If a guest's champagne glass needs to be moved by you, then the glass should not be pushed, but lifted by the stem and placed where desired. This is safer and also avoids fingerprints on the goblet area of the glass.
- A host must be prepared! Glasses tip over at the table or fall to the floor (never try to catch them!).
Should a (foreseeable) small accident of this kind occur, then the circumstance must be remedied immediately, friendly and properly, replace the glass immediately and fill. Gloves to protect against broken glass, sponge, cloth, broom... should be ready before the arrival of guests!
Just as important as the glass is the temperature of the champagne when serving. The ideal temperature is 8°C, vintage champagne can be served at up to 11°C. If the sparkling wine is warmer, the foam bubbles out explosively when the bottle is opened and lands on clothes and furniture instead of in the glasses. Also, popping the cork or even popping out the cork should be left exclusively to car and bike racers; this bad habit does not belong in a dining room or Salon.
A champagne should also not 'float' in a bucket of ice for hours before guests arrive, as it could suffer a nasty 'temperature shock'. After some pre-cooling in your refrigerator, about 20 to 30 minutes in the ice water (50/50 mix) of the champagne bucket will condition the ideal temperature.
Coupe (Tazza)
While ideal for some champagne drinks, shrimp cocktail and ice cream, not for champagne.
Flute
Elegant and functional!
Crystal
Natural small irregularities (moussier points) often promote bubbling in crystal glass. Elegant solution (among others) for champagne.
Tulips
Tulip glasses offer many advantages to the champagne as well as the connoisseur!
Elegant flute with high (and hollow) column. Causes also an attractive bead play, but is very fragile and cumbersome in terms of cleaning!
Chic blue tulip glass. The sight of the color of champagne, as well as its play of pearls are significantly reduced visually.
Test run with H2O
It never hurts to be somewhat familiar with your own champagne glasses or to know their capacity in practice. Massive Champagne standard bottles visually deceive novices a little more volume, especially since they weigh considerably more than conventional wine bottles, are not infrequently also somewhat higher and on top of that are sometimes particularly opaque. Of course, they do not contain more wine than, for example, a slim 750ml Bordeaux bottle.
A small test run:
Simply fill an empty champagne bottle (or any 750ml 'normal bottle' if necessary) with water and fill e.g. six champagne glasses in two to three stages evenly and in sequence. At the first attempt, you quickly realize that it looks easier than it actually is.
At this glass size, the champagne bottle is already empty. With beautiful tulip glasses you can consequently over the thumb at
For a normal bottle (750 ml) six glasses, for a magnum bottle (1.5 l) 12 glasses and for a jeroboam bottle (3 l) 24 glasses (see also Bottles).
The glass on the right is from the example above. On the left are two slightly smaller champagne glasses with the same contents of the glass on the right. With an apparently only slightly smaller difference in size, you could now properly fill nine glasses (instead of six) with the same bottle of champagne.
Properly open champagne
The professional opening of a champagne is equivalent to a ceremony. This represents, under your supervision, the crowning moment of this noble drink.
Caution. Champagne is under considerable pressure. A flying cork may well cause shards or even cost a guest an eye!
- Of course, first remove the champagne from the bucket and gently dry the bottle a little with a napkin.
- This is followed by the presentation to the guest. Please note that the label is not covered by the napkin.
- Then hold the bottle at an angle with the left hand (approx. 45 degree inclination) and gently untwist the loop of the wire basket with the right hand. The tinfoil cap should not be destroyed unnecessarily in the process. Make absolutely sure that the cork points away from your own head during this procedure.
- Gently expand the wire basket and remove it together with the tinfoil cap. It may happen that the cork is already floating. In this case, let the cork come right along with the wire basket and the tinfoil cap gently and with feeling.
- Firmly grasp the cork with your left hand, while simultaneously turning the bottle with your right hand and removing the cork (thumb on the cork!). Only a gentle sigh of the champagne should be audible (instead of a loud 'pop').
What the ear gains, the palate later loses! A 'pop' is evidence of a silent beginner and does not correspond to the high level of a noble champagne. Cork tongs are at best only for those very rare emergencies where the cork is unusually tight. If the head of the cork unexpectedly breaks off (also very rare), then cut it off with a knife just with the mouth of the bottle and carefully pull the rest of the cork out of the neck with a corkscrew. - Very imperceptibly and discreetly pass the cork past your (own) nose to briefly ensure that no foul odor adheres to it. It is also advisable to take a quick look at the mouth of the bottle to see if any residue adheres to it (if so, use the underside of the cork or the napkin to remove it). Then place the cork close to the guest of honor. This gesture is ancient. The host (or hostess) is simply offering the guest of honor the opportunity to make sure that the markings on the cork also match the wine being served. This may seem nonsensical with a champagne that has just been opened in front of the guest of honor, but it is part of the process, especially since, for example, the shape of a champagne cork at the bottom reveals whether that champagne has been stored for a long time or is rather 'younger' (see also cork). The guest of honor does not 'sniff' the cork. When pouring, the neck of the bottle must not touch the glass.
- The serving ritual always begins with the guest of honor (if any). Pour the guest of honor some champagne to taste (only enough for one or at most two sips) and stand back. The guest of honor checks the color and aroma of the wine in his/her glass followed by a taste test. The host waits attentively for his/her acceptance (perhaps verbally, or possibly just with a discreet nod).
- Then slowly fill the glasses in stages (i.e. two or three times) (There are different systems of serving order in the world (See examples below).
- A champagne can show different in terms of foam formation depending on the room temperature. The glasses should ultimately be filled no more than 2/3. Rather less than too much champagne in the glass, so that there is enough space in which the bouquet can develop.
- After pouring, gently place the bottle back in the bucket.
See also: Don't be afraid of big bottles! - ...and the cork?
The cork for good luck
You can bring an old tradition to your guests by carefully adding an incision to the bottom of the cork, inserting any coin there and handing this combination to someone. According to legend, as long as the coin and the cork remain united, good luck will stay with the recipient.
It is said that when the champagne cork is presented to a lady, she only has to spend three nights with the cork under her pillow before she will dream of the man she will eventually marry!
And the capsule?
On the cork of each champagne is a small metal capsule. Please do not throw them away. Sooner or later you will meet a champagne lover who collects these capsules and will surely be very happy about your gift of these capsules (see also capsule).
Systems: The order of serving a champagne
There are several systems of serving in this world, however, all systems basically have only one purpose: to ensure a speedy and smooth process.
Many hosts simply follow the clockwise direction of serving from the guest of honor. Here is an example of a very simple system:
If there are few guests, the ladies can be served first (after the guest of honor has rehearsed, of course) in a clockwise direction, then the gentlemen, and finally the guest of honor (even if a lady is the guest of honor). There is also an old variant, where the oldest lady in the circle is served champagne first.
However, sometimes you might encounter other systems. For example, there is also an ancient system whereby the ladies' glasses are filled counterclockwise from the guest of honor in order first, then (so to speak, on the 'way back') clockwise the host serves the gentlemen's glasses. Finally, the glass of the guest of honor is then filled.
When refilling the glasses, the usual clockwise direction applies without any particular order. Champagne should not be constantly refilled, but only when one or two sips remain in the glass. This ensures that the champagne can be optimally introduced and re-developed in terms of temperature (instead of being affected by the already warmed champagne). Champagne should be poured from the right side.
Terracotta instead of classic tub?
It may happen that instead of an often elegant bucket, the host presents his guests with the finest champagne in plain terracotta. This is in no way to be understood as a faux-pas! On the contrary, it shows that the host knows the unbeatable qualities of terracotta, which the Romans already knew to appreciate.
If a champagne is cooled too quickly or too much, it suffers a shock that can lead to unpleasant consequences in terms of taste. Incidentally, this shock can also happen to it in a bucket of crushed ice if it 'floats' in this ice bath for too long. Terracotta, on the other hand, cools gently through its natural evaporative effect. These vessels are first filled with ice-cold water. Then they are left filled for about 10 minutes. This time is needed for the water to soak into the baked earth a little). The vessel is then emptied and is then ready to 'hug' the champagne and keep it cool in a gentle way.