Proper glassware can make or break a drinking experience. When it comes to Champagne, the epitome of luxury, drinking from the correct glass is crucial if you want to enjoy your bubbly. Not just any glass will do, according to Krug CEO Maggie Henriquez.
“You don’t use flutes,” Henriquez said according to Drinks Business. “You see, using a flute is like going to a concert with ear plugs because it will not let you enjoy what is inside, because a good Champagne before anything is a good wine.”
The statement is reminiscent of the well-done steak analogy. Overcooked steak doesn’t allow you to taste the beef, kind of like how a Champagne flute doesn’t allow you to experience the flavors and odors of a wine. According to experts, the narrow nature of the flute prevents the expression of the Champagne’s aromas. Scientifically, this makes sense.
When oxygen interacts with wine, different chemical reactions occur, which affect the wine’s flavors and aromas over time. Typical white wine glasses are much wider than champagne flutes, exposing the wine to a larger surface area, and in turn, more oxygen. Hence the phrase “letting the wine breathe.” That’s what Henriquez is getting at when she says Champagne is a type of wine, meaning the bubbly variety has a similar chemical dynamic with oxygen as red or white wine.
So for the next celebration, a good universal wine glass might be the way to go, particularly if your guests are sommeliers and champagne executives. Henriquez makes a valid point: Why go to the show if you can’t hear the music?
