How to hold a glass of champagne

Sparkling wines are usually served in special glasses that highlight the beauty of the drink. Elegant dishes should maximize the aroma and show the play of carbon dioxide bubbles. To achieve such effects, you need to hold the glass correctly. Helpful tips will help you master these skills and enjoy champagne without interruption.

What should the glass be like?

The type of glass and the way it is held in the hand affects the formation of bubbles. Incorrect position in the palm leads to heating of the wine and deterioration of its taste. In addition, if the balance of the wine glass is disturbed, the drink can be spilled.

There are three types of glassware for serving sparkling wines :

• flute - a vessel with a tall narrow bowl, reminiscent of a flute in shape, and a long stem. In a glass of this shape, bubbles slowly rise to the surface, maintaining the required volume of gas in the drink. Flute is convenient to use at banquets, as it is difficult to spill wine from it. But the aromas in this vessel are not fully revealed;
• coupe - an exquisite wine glass with a shallow and wide bowl, similar to a saucer. The leg is shorter than that of flute. Due to the large evaporation area, gas bubbles distribute the aroma more actively. But at the same time, the wine heats up faster from the heat of the hand;
• tulip - resembles a flute with a high bowl and long stem. The neck of the glass smoothly expands at the top, improving the distribution of aroma.

If you don't have any of these types of glassware, you can pour champagne into white wine glasses.

The correct way to hold a glass of champagne

Regardless of shape, each sparkling wine vessel consists of four elements - bowl, stem, rim and base. Most often, the wine glass is taken by the stem with the thumb and forefinger a centimeter below the connection with the bowl. The remaining three fingers are placed at the base next to the index finger. When taking a sip, tilt the glass with your wrist at a 45-degree angle. This method is suitable for tulip and flute. The coupe glass is difficult to hold by the stem.

Sometimes glasses of sparkling wine are taken by the rim . In this position, the contents quickly heat up from the heat of the hand, especially if a coupe glass is used. In addition, your fingers cover the edge of the glass, making it difficult to drink.

Sometimes the glass is held by the bottom of the bowl. This option is considered incorrect , as it leads to heating of the drink. As a result, the process of bubbling accelerates, and the smell of alcohol drowns out the subtle aromas of champagne. However, a coupe glass can be held lightly by the bowl to maintain balance.

Another way is to hold the wine glass by the base of the stem. The disc holder is usually very durable, so there is no risk of wine spilling. The base is held so that the thumb is on top and the rest are on the bottom of the stand. This position prevents the drink from heating up and causing stains on the container. But this makes it difficult to put the champagne on the table; you have to hold the cup with your other hand. The method is not suitable for a coupe, as it is difficult to hold it by the base.

Proper hand for holding champagne glass

Following the rules of etiquette, the wine glass should be held in the right hand. This makes it more convenient to greet guests and clink glasses when announcing toasts. Left-handed people who are not used to taking cutlery in their right hand should not break their habits, especially if there is little time before the main banquet. It is only important to shift the wine glass to your right hand in time if you have to greet guests.

When using a coupe glass, use two hands - with your right hand you hold the stem, with your left hand you hold the bowl when you need to maintain balance. Those who prefer to hold the wine glass by the base also use both hands when placing the glassware on the table.

Ideal position

Although etiquette allows for different positions of the glass in the hand, holding it by the stem is considered the most convenient. It is taken by the central part so that the thumb is on one side and the rest are on the opposite side. You can use your ring finger to hold the bottom of the bowl. When drinking, the glass is tilted towards the lips at 45 degrees.

Help with submission

Before bringing sparkling wine to the table, it is cooled to +7-10° C. To do this, the bottle is placed in the refrigerator for 3 hours or placed in a special bucket with ice. Low temperature allows you to maintain the desired degree of carbonation. Wine is poured into glasses placed in front of each guest. At buffets, dishes with champagne are placed on trays or counters, from where guests cantake it yourself.

It is not customary to pass glasses to other guests, including ladies, without their request. If you need to bring champagne to another person, take the glass by the stem or base.

Rules for filling a glass

Sparkling wines are poured slowly, in a thin stream, so that too much foam does not form. The bottle is held at an angle of 45 degrees to the neck of the wine glass, which is level on the table.

Another important rule is that sparkling wine should not be poured to the top of the glass. When the layer of drink reaches a thickness of 2.5 cm, pause. This prevents excessive foam formation. Then continue to pour slowly until about two-thirds of the glass is filled. This amount of drink will not have time to heat up, and the upper part of the vessel will be filled with aroma.

What not to do

Unlike other wines, champagne does not need to be shaken before tasting. The aroma spreads naturally when gas bubbles escape, so there is no need to rotate the glass in your hand, as is done when drinking red wines or cognacs.

Hold the glass with all five fingers. Don't move your little finger to the side - it looks campy and out of date. Try to tilt the vessel to your lips no more than 45 degrees - this looks elegant and reduces the risk of spilling wine.