It was my birthday yesterday and a happy one for me! This has been an amazing year, and I have a lot to be thankful for! Birthdays are one of the few regular causes of celebration for me and Champagne is the drink of celebration! Which brings me to one of the most important things about champagne: what it is served in! 

Okay, maybe not, but it's pretty interesting to think about! Although no one knows exactly when champagne was created, sparkling wine can date back to the early 1400s. Champagne, however, was created later, during the 1600s. The champagne coupe, more commonly known just as the "coupe", was created in the year 1663 in France specifically for champagne. 

When the coupe was created, champagne was not meant to be carried and sipped, but it was meant to be quickly consumed, almost like a shot. This is why the mouth is so wide and the bowl is so shallow. This allows the bubbles to quickly dissipate. 

Where Did The Shape Come From?

The glass is believed to have been molded to replicate the breasts of Marie Antoinette. Although many try to attach the origin to her, this is clearly not true. The champagne coupe actually predates Marie Antoinette by over 100 years! It is still widely speculated to be designed after the female breast, and I can honestly see this. The stem serves the same purpose as with a wine glass or brandy snifter: drinks in these glasses are meant to be served either straight up or neat (more on this in another post). 

But Why Does This Matter?

The heat from your hands will actually change the chemistry of the drink, which in turn changes the flavor when you hold the bowl directly, so the stem allows you to carry your beverage without changing the flavor. The presence of ice usually diminishes the effect of heat from your hand because the ice is already diluting the alcohol, and the heat from your hands will at most help melt the ice faster. 

Flutes vs Coupes?

The coupe vs flute is a very "Goldilocks" situation when you think about it.  Neither glass is just right for the current champagne-drinking trends. 

Flutes definitely help retain the carbonation better than coupes do, however, flutes actually disguise the flaws of the wine! Because of how small the mouth is on the design of the traditional champagne flute, the carbonation hits your tastebuds all together and prevents you from really tasting the wine. 

The mouth of the coupe is so wide that the carbonation easily escapes as gas and the champagne will go flat more quickly. This is not useful in this day and age where champagne is sipped and savored. 

Either of these is fine if you are drinking an inexpensive sparkling wine but, if you are drinking a more expensive one, you may want to opt for either a champagne tulip or a white wine glass! Either will allow enough space for the carbonation to be released, and release flavor in the process, and dissipate slowly enough that it won't ruin the beverage. 

The best way to drink champagne, however, is with a glass! So as we get thrust into this holiday season, pour yourself a glass, any kind of glass, and enjoy! 

🥂🍾🎊🎉

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