In the early days of Champagne, no glass was specifically designed or made for it.
Generally, you would consume it in the same glasses as beer, with the logic that beer and Champagne are both carbonated beverages and can be consumed in the same glasses.
The champagne glass has gone through many changes and evolutions over the years, to what people use nowadays – the Champagne flutes.
However, it is the coupes that are considered traditional Champagne glasses.
Here Is What Makes Coupes The Traditional Glasses For Champagne:
Coupes are the traditional Champagne glasses. They are considered the first official glassware for the consumption of Champagne. Coupe glasses have broad and shallow bowls, which is different from what flutes look like. Pouring Champagne on coupes makes the bubble disperse quickly, unlike flutes.
Do Traditional Champagne Glasses Differ From Modern Models?
Traditional Champagne glasses differ a lot from modern Champagne glasses. They differ in shape and design and how they affect the way you drink Champagne.
The coupe first came out around the time when Champagne was said to be accidentally discovered. Thus, there arose a need for a vessel or a cup to serve and drink it.
The modern Champagne glasses that we know and are quite used to have narrow bowls. The flute, the most popular choice nowadays for drinking Champagne, has long, narrow bowls and thin stems.
Another modern glass we use for drinking Champagne is the tulip glasses, which also come with narrow bodies. What makes the tulip glass different from the flute glass is that the tulip glass tapers as it approaches the opening.
Both the flute glass and the tulip glass are designed to preserve the carbonation in the Champagne.
This way, the bubbles stay longer. The downside to these modern glasses is that they do not allow the aromas to open up because of their narrow opening fully.
A traditional Champagne glass does the exact opposite. Because it has a broader and distinctly shallower bowl, it makes sure that the bubbles disperse quickly.
Are Traditional Champagne Glasses More Exclusive?
While traditional Champagne glasses are not as popular as flute glasses and tulip glasses, they are not necessarily considered more exclusive.
The Champagne coupes are seen as more fashionable. They are more widely used in many regions in France and other parts of Europe.
Coupe glasses are still regularly seen in bars and restaurants that serve fine wine and offer a good variety of Champagne and other types of sparkling wine.
Wine connoisseurs also prefer these glasses over the modern ones. This is because the coupe releases a lot of aromas for the drinkers to enjoy, which would not be present if they poured the Champagne into a flute.
What Are The Most Popular Champagne Glasses Today?
Nowadays, the most popular Champagne glasses being used are flute glasses. This is more for enhancing aesthetics rather than the aromas or the taste.
Sparkling wine, such as Champagne, needs very little surface area, so flute glasses are perfect.
Flutes help preserve the bubbles on the Champagne and stop it from going flat too quickly.
How Has The Champagne Glass Design Evolved Over Time?
When they first discovered Champagne, people drank from vessels with round funnel-shaped bowls and simple, short stems.
These were the same vessels from which people drank beer and cider, so they used no specific glass for Champagne.
In 1663, the Champagne coupe was invented, and it became the first official glass that was specifically made for the consumption of Champagne. It is also considered the most classic and stylish glass to drink Champagne.
Back in the day, people found the bubbles in Champagne repulsive, so the coupes were ideal. They make the bubbles disperse quickly as soon as the drink is poured.
It was in the early 1700s that the Champagne flute was developed. By this time, the sparkling characteristic of Champagne was aesthetically pleasing. This is why transparent glasses with narrow bowls and tapered openings were invented.
The Champagne flutes gave drinkers the visuals of Champagne sparkling in crystal clear glass, with bubbles lingering on the drink’s surface. This gives such a festive vibe, probably explaining why most celebrations always call for Champagne.
Later on, the tulip glass was invented. This was during the 20th Century.
What makes the tulip glass different from the flute is its slightly broader bowl that allows the aroma to open up a bit while still deep enough not to let the bubbles disperse quickly.
Essentially, there is no right or wrong glass to drinking Champagne from. You can use flutes, coupes, or tulip glasses – it is all up to you, as long as you get one of very good quality.
Sources:
From Cup to Coupe: A History of Our Favorite Champagne Glass