No celebration would be complete without a lovely glass of bubbly. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, promotions and retirement – any occasion it seems is an excuse to pop a champagne cork and drink a toast.
There is a vast choice of champagnes and sparkling wines available nowadays, and most are very competitively priced, which has opened up the market for the everyday person to enjoy this once very luxurious drink. This also means that the choice of glassware has expanded too, and the market for engraved champagne glasses is booming. Here are a few examples that are perfect vessels for a glass of champagne or sparkling wine.
The champagne flute
Probably considered the most popular type of champagne glass, the flute is an elegant glass and is easily the most recognisable. The glass has a long stem, which is easy to hold and also prevents the hand from touching the bowl of the glass and warming the liquid within. The bowl itself is elongated and tall and should provide a generous serving, even with the excess bubbles from the first pour. The long shape of the glass helps the bubbles rise and effervesce to the surface, creating the perfect vessel for extra fizz.
The champagne tulip
Different to the flute in that the bowl is wider and the mouth narrows at the top. The key to this type of glass is to only fill halfway up the bowl to the widest point, the object being to allow plenty of room for the glass to trap the aromas which will result in a better experience of taste, flavour and aroma. The tulip also has a long stem to prevent fingers from holding the bowl, as smudging the glass with finger marks may hide the sparkle of bubbles as they race to the surface!
The champagne coupe
Sometimes regarded as an old-fashioned and more traditional type of champagne glass, the coupe, or saucer as it is also known, can evoke an impression of vintage elegance. Associated with times gone by when different types of glasses were limited and few variations existed, the shallow wide bowl does not help the bubbles effervesce quite as much as the previous glasses, yet holding a coupe glass can feel very sophisticated and elegant. Some of the more older, high-class establishments still use the champagne coupe as a way of offering customers something a little more quirky and nostalgic.
The stemless champagne glass
Following the recent trend for stemless glasses, the champagne glass is no exception. Designed to be a bit sturdier than the flute, tulip and coupe, the stemless champagne glass cannot easily be tipped over. The long, tall bowl is similar to the flute, it has a flat bottom and allows the bubbles to rise freely to the surface. The downside to this unique and quirky design is that there is, of course, no stem to hold the glass, so finger marks and warm champagne may be likely.
Choosing which champagne to drink and which beautiful engraved champagne glasses to use is not an easy decision, though once made it will be a thoroughly enjoyable one!
