341726 Fri Nov 10 21:17:27 -0800 2006 35 34 Wine 0 2012357 is there another glass out of which i can serve champagne? Fri Nov 10 21:17:27 -0800 2006 13941 wowimadog 1 2012384 You can. But it doesn't serve champagne to its best advantage. An alternative is a coupe, a shallow, broad-bowled, stemed glass that was fairly commonly used in days past but the bubbles dissipate too quickly in those. A good flute should also be crystal rather than glass. Crystal has minute imperfections in the surface which cause more bubbles to rise while glass is smooth. In a pinch, use what you have, but start saving up to purchase the proper flutes if you plan on serving champagne regularly. Fri Nov 10 21:28:02 -0800 2006 2012357 32444 MakingSense 1 2012386 You can serve it in a tin mug, if you really want to...but as the most important points are to keep it cool, keep it visible, and limit exposure to air, then any tallish, narrow glass would do OK. We have a collection of 6 oz. glasses that originally held mole paste, all clear with heavy bottoms, with several different kinds of patterning in the glass (plain, fluted, diamond) - if we suddenly found ourselves without flutes, I'd choose to use these. We also have a backup supply of plastic flutes, which come in packages with stacked cup portions and separate bases which snap onto the stem ends. But whatever you do, please avoid those shallow saucer-shaped stem glasses - if you have to, just use plain white-wine glasses instead. Fri Nov 10 21:28:39 -0800 2006 2012357 11478 Will Owen 2 2012414 thanks. just curious: why avoid the "shallow saucer-shaped" glasses? Fri Nov 10 21:37:07 -0800 2006 2012386 13941 wowimadog 3 2012427 Because the surface area of the part exposed to air is much larger, and so the bubbles vanish that much quicker. Fri Nov 10 21:40:42 -0800 2006 2012414 40307 frenetica 4 2012443 Right. That's the *worst* conceivable glass to serve sparkling wine in. Fri Nov 10 21:44:51 -0800 2006 2012427 13819 Karl S 5 2012454 Then why do you see it so often? When at weddings, that's what they always hand out the "champagne toast" on. . .and I have a set of four gorgeous ones, red, blue, green and yellow, and I hate not to have a use for them. (Though I have NO use for flat champagne. . .) Would they be OK as regular white wine glasses? Fri Nov 10 21:47:59 -0800 2006 2012443 12858 Covert Ops 6 2012879 They were very popular in the Victorian Era in Britain. Reputedly because old Vicky didn't like assertive bubbles and wanted them to disapate! Sat Nov 11 01:25:24 -0800 2006 2012454 24055 Atahualpa 6 2015730 It, like so much else at weddings, is the pure tradition of it. Coupes are a nearly perfect vessel for frozen drinks such as margaritas. Sun Nov 12 20:42:05 -0800 2006 2012454 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 7 2015918 We use the fancy ones I inherited for desserts. Sun Nov 12 22:19:58 -0800 2006 2015730 11369 Robert Lauriston 6 3053657 The coupe is very similar to a cocktail or martini glass. Use it for martinis, manhattens, gimlets, etc. dave Sun Oct 21 06:56:49 -0700 2007 2012454 119739 davebough 5 4847336 I know this is an old post, but you're absolutely mistaken about this. The coupe is the best glass to drink champagne out of. Such an aromatic wine deserves to be inhaled; flutes are extremely awkward in this respect - as well as out-dated and stuff. Plus who's taking so long to drink their champagne that it goes flat anyway. Sheer ridiculousness! Fri Jul 10 13:50:36 -0700 2009 2012443 1088496 katrosa731 6 4847992 I find the flute does a much better job of concentrating the delectable aroma, and of keeping it around longer. As for "who takes so long", we do not toss down wine of any kind. When champagne is served in our family it's usually a festive occasion with much besides drinking going on - Christmas morning, for instance - and we expect the wine to be replenished at decent intervals, not every two minutes. It is the coupe, not the flute, that is outdated. And stuff. Fri Jul 10 18:07:07 -0700 2009 4847336 11478 Will Owen 7 4848045 They're both outdated. A few years ago I had a Champagne owner/winemaker in my house for a tasting and I asked her what sort of glass she prefers, and she said a white wine glass - as do I. Flutes are designed to conserve bubbles. I expect a lot more from an expensive bottle of Champagne than just bubbles - I want to appreciate the bouquet as well, and a small bowl has the same problem in that regard as it does with any other kind of wine. Not sure what a coupe is for, other than to encourage you to slosh bubbly onto the floor. It captures neither the bubbles nor the bouquet. I haven't even seen a coupe in at least 10 years. Fri Jul 10 18:28:41 -0700 2009 4847992 322528 crw77 6 4848064 Welcome to Chowhound, katrosa. I realize this is your first post. That being said... Nah. Though coupes may be your preference, the science doesn't back up what you say. Here's a smattering of sparkling physics: -- Coupes have dead zones on the outer perimeter of the glass, and bubbles don't reach the top of the liquid *before* bursting. So, fewer bubbles, fewer aromatics, and less flavor overall in Champagne/sparkling wine drunk from a coupe. -- Part of the reason for this is the larger diameter of the coupe and its shallower depth compared to a flute. -- The narrow shape of the flute focuses the aromas. Not so with the coupe. -- Better formation of the bubble "chain" in the flute, because of engraved nucleation sites. -- Coupes spill wine more easily than the flute. Read the science, katrosa, if you're interested. Now that more is known about bubble formation, aromas and nucleation sites, new glasses will be designed that best showcase champagne's bubbles, aromas and flavors. In fact, there's a great article this month on the physics of champagne, which includes scientific analyses of bubble formation and dissipation, bubble chains, fluid vortices, and how the shape of the glass makes a difference in the sensory enjoyment of champagne. Lots of great illustrations of both the flute and the coupe, and very clear descriptions. It's in the July/August 2009 of American Scientist: http://www.sigmaxi.org/4Lane/QMag/American_Scientist_July-August_2009.pdf Happy drinking and posting. Fri Jul 10 18:37:05 -0700 2009 4847336 18222 maria lorraine 7 4848349 Though an archaic dinosaur, I will give the flute the big nod (traditionalist), and then either a Chardonnay stem, or actually a Sauternes' stem. Still, I've done too many Champagne (and sparkler) tastings in different stemware to buy into the coupe. Not sure how Hollywood glomed onto that design, but it worked through the 30's and 40's, but only for the masses. Awkward, and ill-suited for the job, these glasses are suited for flat pink sparklers an nothing more - IMHO. I happen to have a few dozen, but they are for desserts only and not for Champagne. Sorry, but I am with ML on this one, though my choices and preferences are based more on my personal tastings, than on her pure science. This is not meant to diminish science, as that often explains what one experiences. It gives us the "why." Hunt Fri Jul 10 21:33:30 -0700 2009 4848064 11329 Bill Hunt 1 2012463 If you have a set of vintage crystal, perhaps from your mother or grandmother, it may include the coupe glasses which were used for champagne in the 40s or so when it really wasn't that common in America. Convert those to dessert dishes or for some kind of appetizers. Get some good flutes for champagne. They don't have to be terribly expensive and can often be found at tag sales or thrift shops. Fri Nov 10 21:49:50 -0800 2006 2012357 32444 MakingSense 1 2012788 I personally try to stay away of standard flutes, very inconvenient to serve champgne wines. The best, as far as I'm concerned, is white wine stems, of the type usually associated with Loire wines. If it has to be a flute, then I use the ones with a "belly" shape around mid way from the bottom, very convenient to absorb froth while pouring. Best example I know of this type, the one in Baccarat's "Oenology" series. http://baccarat.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod130334&parentId=cat504&masterId=cat208&cmCat=cat000000cat208cat504&index=17&tid=C9 Sat Nov 11 00:25:49 -0800 2006 2012357 28703 RicRios 2 2013207 I second the rec for using white wine glasses. That's what it is, after all (well, aside from rose' champagne and you could argue about blanc de noirs). Sat Nov 11 05:24:14 -0800 2006 2012788 13150 babette feasts 1 2013528 I've been very happy with these from the Riedel Vinum series - about $110 for 6 - got two "sets" from different family members for Christmas one year - less than $20 a stem. http://www.brownderby.com/crystalproduct.php?pf_id=3920&dept_id=1 I started off with ones from the Sommelier series - wedding gift - but they were incredibly delicate and all but one broke - either in washing (and I was careful) or guests gesticulating too actively while holding a glass. But I'll drink champagne out of any glass if that's all there is! Sat Nov 11 14:52:45 -0800 2006 2012357 10985 MMRuth 1 2013922 If you don't have flutes, just use whatever you'd serve any other white wine in. The coupe "Champagne" glasses are an old tradition but one best abandoned. Sat Nov 11 19:14:18 -0800 2006 2012357 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2013990 "RicRios" above nailed it. The reason narrow flutes aren't ideal is that it doesn't allow the wine to show off it's bouquet (commonly referred to as the nose). The better the champagne the more important that is. In the Champagne area of France you'll see most of the "houses" use a "belly" type (wider) flute. In the same vein, the reason the old style "coupe" glasses don't work well is that there is too much surface area... therefore, the bouquet gets lost. Proper glassware is quite important for the maximum enjoyment of fine wines. Too often this is something restaurants don't take very seriously in an effort to cut costs. Sad. Sat Nov 11 19:42:27 -0800 2006 2012357 27914 WineTravel 1 2014040 Wine Travel and others are right about finding the perfect slightly wider flutes for high quality champagnes and sparkling wines but we shouldn't discourage people from having serviceable flutes for occasional use. Many people buy inexpensive sparkling wines for fun celebrations, brunches or picnics and flutes add to the magic. The nose and bouquet and all that aren't always big factors, especially if they're adding fruit or other things - just the ambiance sometime. Bed, Bath and Beyond has ordinary glass flutes on sale currently for $9.99 for 12 and the circular has a 20% off coupon. That's about 67 cents per glass - almost as cheap as plastic. No, they aren't wonderful but they'll do just fine. They're comparable to those used by many caterers. Sat Nov 11 20:18:01 -0800 2006 2012357 32444 MakingSense 1 2016426 Still a flute, but a little different, are these Finnish crystal glasses from Iittala. These are what I use, and I love them: http://www.tiny.cc/iGAKf (I also have the beer and cordial glasses). Also, while searching for a picture of those above, I came across these that look pretty cool: http://www.studiolx.com/glassware-stemware-liquids-dr-raki.html Mon Nov 13 03:13:22 -0800 2006 2012357 10365 GG Mora 1 3053241 For god's sake! Use the Marie Antionette glass just because it's beautiful, historically interesting, classic, different. It gives you a slightly naughty story to tell before the New Year toast. Drink your Champagne quickly, all the better if you buy the good stuff. It's delicious. I have been using a coupe glass for years. A lovely set from the 40's. I think you are going to find that despite the good sense and advise of sommeliers all over; we the coupe drinkers are coming back into style. Sat Oct 20 20:37:56 -0700 2007 2012357 136270 starflowers 2 3057315 If you're going to spend the money on the good stuff, why on Earth would you want to drink it quickly? So it doesn't go flat? Savor your wine and forget about the silly coupes. Mon Oct 22 15:16:55 -0700 2007 3053241 92744 invinotheresverde 1 3053328 Methinks too many people forget that Champagne is wine. A coupe is too flat and flute is too narrow and there are a whole bunch of other silly shapes. The best way to really taste and appreciate Champagne is in a normal wine glass. The typical Bordeaux / Sauvignon Blanc shape is probably best. Sat Oct 20 21:49:30 -0700 2007 2012357 113095 jock 2 4848355 That is my #2 design, along with the Riedel Sommelier Sauternes stem. Do not recall why I put those into the mix, but they were 50-50 with the group's choice, tied with the Riedel Vinum Champagne flute. The SB Vinum was a distant 3rd, in two tastings. Hunt Happy Bastiille Day. BTW, which stem will you be serving? Fri Jul 10 21:37:26 -0700 2009 3053328 11329 Bill Hunt 1 3053696 Just adding to the repertoire of relatively inexpensive champagne glasses.... 4 Riedel Vivant Flutes: 4 @ $39.99 per set....at Target of all places! http://tinyurl.com/2goyt9 We have 10 Waterford cut crystal flutes of various designs which I love to use....especially since none match. However, I can see the logic of using the white wine glasses. Makes such sense. Sun Oct 21 07:29:12 -0700 2007 2012357 75332 Gio 1 3058197 the best I have found are some antique mouthblown Venitian twisted wider footed flutes that close very slightly at the lip. the only problem is that we only have 2, so everyone else has to drink out of the riedels Mon Oct 22 20:55:02 -0700 2007 2012357 106255 chazzerking 2 4848366 "we only have 2, so everyone else has to drink out of the riedels." Nah, that is what the styrofoam cups are for! [Grin] Hunt Fri Jul 10 21:43:11 -0700 2009 3058197 11329 Bill Hunt 1 5109247 there are two kinds of wine drinkers out there. the ones who do things they way they're supposed to be done, and the wine drinkers with imagination. sure there are rules, but in defense of the coupe there are some things that just cant touch it. like building a chmpagne tower, or being one ofthe most glamourous glasses ever. the bubbles may not show up, but the carbonation is always there. the whole going flat thing simply isnt true. white wine glasses are they best thing to drink bubbles from if you need the aroma, but when the waiter pulls the bottle out from the bucket you aint gonna smell shit cos the wine's too cold. the coupe is all about a certain look, a way of being- decadent. if you're savoring a bottle of krug '90 then it means that you don't drink good stuff all the time or probably cant afford it. champagne, contrary to popular belief is the one drink that has so many different approaches to its consumption that are all equally correct. there is no proper way to drink and the coupe was adopted as a freewheeling expression of the wilder more glamorous bacchanalian side of champagne. i just wanna party sometimes when i drink the stuff and not show off how much of a "connosieur" i am Fri Oct 16 17:02:30 -0700 2009 2012357 1116892 aglioeolio 2 5109660 Welcome to Chowhound. Lots of fun and good discussion here. Sorry, you're misinformed about the coupe -- it kills both bubbles and flavor. Read up on the science (above) so you know the facts. But if the coupe is more fun for you, more wild, more bacchanalian -- even though the champagne you drink in it has less flavor and fewer bubbles -- use it. Even though I know quite a few bubbly drinkers who use flutes who could give you a good run for your money on the wild, bacchanalian, imaginative thing. Fri Oct 16 20:44:06 -0700 2009 5109247 18222 maria lorraine 3 5109713 Relax, maria. Next month in Perugia. Any suggestions? Fri Oct 16 21:50:44 -0700 2009 5109660 28703 RicRios 4 5109757 I'm quite relaxed after drinking a good amount of '96 bubbly out of a Bordeaux glass! Will think about Perugia. Write me off-board and remind me. Fri Oct 16 22:57:12 -0700 2009 5109713 18222 maria lorraine 1 5110346 Since it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else in the thread: if I have more people than flutes, my second choice is arab/turkish tea glasses. Sat Oct 17 10:27:57 -0700 2009 2012357 177724 tmso