The glass, the first step in tasting
Champagne is first and foremost a wine. A sparkling wine, yes, but a wine. And like any wine, it needs room to express itself. The shape of the glass will determine two essential things: how the carbon dioxide bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass, and how the aromas concentrate on the nose before reaching the mouth.
A glass that's too narrow will restrict the aromas. A glass too wide will let them escape too quickly. This is the art of tasting: finding the right balance. As head sommeliers are well aware, a great vintage champagne is not served in the same way as a still wine at an aperitif. The ideal container depends on the type of champagne you have in your hands. Read our article on serving champagne to serve it like a pro!
A tour of containers
The champagne flute: a slightly outdated icon
The champagne flute is the image we all have in mind. Long, elegant, associated with parties and special occasions. It took over from the coupe a few decades ago, and has become the champagne glass par excellence in the minds of the general public.
Its advantages are real: its elongated shape preserves the bubbles well, its long stem allows the glass to be held without warming the champagne with the hand, and it remains visually very beautiful, especially for admiring the string of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. But chef sommeliers and champagne tasting experts have one criticism: it's too narrow. Aromas don't have enough room to develop. The bouquet is restricted, the bubbles come to the surface a little coarsely, and the tasting experience remains incomplete, especially on complex cuvées like a great vintage. It's for this reason that more and more professionals are choosing to abandon the flute in favor of the tulip glass. The champagne flute remains perfect for a festive aperitif or for young, fresh champagnes, but to really enjoy champagne and appreciate all its complexity, you can do better.
The champagne glass: beautiful but impractical
The coupe is our ancestor. It's associated with black-and-white family photos, receptions from another era, and the Marquise de Pompadour, who, according to legend, inspired its shape. There's something timeless and romantic about it. But here's the thing: its flared shape, with a very wide opening, is a real disadvantage when it comes to tasting. Bubbles and aromas escape very quickly. If you want to enjoy the full effervescence and freshness of champagne, you have to drink quickly. And in the evening, it spills easily if you're jostled a bit. For very sweet champagnes, festive cuvées or simply for the aesthetics of a set table, the coupe retains all its charm. But for real tasting, it's clearly out of favor with discerning connoisseurs.
The tulip glass: the experts' choice
Here's the big winner. The tulip glass is the best glass for tasting champagne, according to the majority of sommeliers and champagne houses, who have been recommending it almost unanimously for over a decade. The new generation of wine professionals agree: the tulip shape enhances champagne like no other container. Its shape is inspired by the flute, but with an enlarged middle section that tapers slightly upwards. This flared shape allows two things to happen: the aromas have room to develop and concentrate, and the bubbles rise more finely and persistently from the bottom of the glass. The glass is only about a quarter full, and then everything comes to the fore. On the nose, you'll find notes you'd never perceive in a flute. On the palate, the bubbles are creamy, the acidity balanced and the finish long. It's a truly different tasting experience. The tulip glass is particularly well-suited to vintage champagnes, grand crus and mineral Blanc de blancs that need room to express themselves. Houses like Perrier-Jouët or Roederer have developed their own tasting glasses designed around this shape. If you're looking for a beautiful gift or gift set, Perrier-Jouët's six Belle Époque glasses by Perrier-Jouët or the six Mumm tasting glasses are great options.
The blida: the Champagne winemaker's glass
Less well known to the general public, the blida is nevertheless an essential part of Champagne culture. It's the typical glass of the region's winegrowers, used at weddings, christenings and grape harvests. The history of these little glasses is delicious: they were originally made in Reims for export to the Algerian town of Blida, where they were used to drink tea. Champagne growers adopted them for very practical reasons: they are resistant, easy to maintain, and their modest size allows a 75cl bottle of champagne to be served in 8 glasses, which is perfect for conviviality. The blida does not claim to be the best container for in-depth tasting. But it does have a soul, a history, and a sincerity that fits well with the spirit of independent winegrowers. If you visit a harvester-manipulator in Champagne, you'll certainly be welcomed in a blida.
The pomponne: a curiosity rather than a container
The pomponne is a stemless champagne flute. Placed on a table, it resembles a small bell. Its origins can be traced back to the Gallic horns used as drinking vessels; the contents had to be emptied in one gulp before it could be set down. And that's its main drawback: you can't put it down until you've finished it. In terms of practicality, this is the opposite of the blida. Today, the pomponne is more a decorative or collector's item than a tasting glass in its own right.
