Luxury enjoyment
Why You Should Serve Your Champagne in a Champagne Wine Glass
It’s been more than 50 years since the Riedel family first discovered that the shape and size of your glass influence a beverage’s aroma, taste, and overall profile.
When 11th-generation Maximilian J. Riedel became CEO, his goal was to ensure that the RIEDEL portfolio offered the best products for every drink - wine or spirit, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, still or sparkling! He has always had a passion for champagne, so he first turned his focus to this celebrated drink.
Knowing that aroma makes up 70% of flavor ...
..., Maximilian Riedel questioned whether the traditional flute was doing justice to the beverage’s complex characteristics, particularly in vintage champagnes, or if it would perform better in a differently shaped glass.
In 2014, the new collection RIEDEL Veritas was introduced with a few notable features, bringing together where the brand had come from and the bright future ahead. It was the lightest and finest collection we had ever produced by machine and contained Syrah and Pinot Noir glasses suited to New and Old World style.
A revolution in so many aspects, it was missing one key thing ... A champagne flute! In its place was a brand new offering: the RIEDEL Champagne Wine Glass, undoubtedly the best glass for enjoying quality champagnes and sparkling wines.
What is a champagne wine glass?
It is a glass designed to elevate much more than simply the bubbles in your champagne or sparkling wines. Rather than thin like a flute, it more closely resembles a white wine glass.
The larger rim diameter of the Champagne Wine Glass enables a wide range of aromatics to be presented to the drinker in a way that is simply not achievable with a narrow glass. The bowl envelops the bouquet, allowing complex layers to intensify.
A sparkling point in the bottom of the bowl helps to maintain effervescence without concentrating on it, delivering a softer feel in the mouth and enhancing the richness and depth of flavor.
It creates a rounded picture of these delightful beverages, upholding RIEDEL’s commitment to offering the most sensory experience for drinkers.
Where did the name Champagne Wine Glass come from?
The name reflects that the glass differs from a conventional flute style. This rounded bowl sees beyond the bubbles, focusing on depth and character. The shape performs the same way as any other RIEDEL Grape Varietal Specific glass designed for still wines.
"The name Champagne Wine Glass was chosen carefully and deliberately," says Maximilian J. Riedel. "Champagne is a wine and deserves to be treated as such."
How did this shape come about?
Having spent time working as a tour guide in Champagne, France, when he was younger, Maximilian Riedel knew that the top houses preferred a larger glass over a slim flute.
To discover if there was a more suitable shape, he set out to test existing and new products in the RIEDEL Sensory Workshop process. This workshop process pits differently shaped glasses alongside each other to see which one presents the best picture of the four sensations in wine: bouquet, texture, flavor, and finish.
Maximilian Riedel had input from some of the best palates in the world, including Richard Geoffroy, chef de cave of iconic Champagne house Dom Pérignon. This illustrious house, arguably one of the world’s greatest, had previously worked with RIEDEL and eventually developed its own branded Champagne Wine Glass: the RIEDEL Dom Pérignon glass.
Maximilian Riedel does not deny that the flute will always have a place in the home, as it remains a symbol of celebration. However, he says the flute is best for toasting, whereas the Champagne Wine Glass is designed for drinking. "Our Champagne Wine Glass allows the range of aromas of champagne to unfold in a way which is not possible with a narrow flute."
A little history on the champagne flute
Did you know that champagne was once much cheaper and not as prestigious as it is today? Its lower price point and distinctive profile meant it was incredibly popular - and unfortunately, producers struggled to keep up with demand.
Instead of losing their market, they decided to change the conversation and convince drinkers that true champagne should be shared only when celebrating a special occasion.
This prompted the glass industry to create the ideal product for sharing: a slim and elegant flute that held a measured pour and kept this treasured drink bubbly.
If you’re interested in how our champagne glasses changed over time, read our blog, The Evolution of the Champagne Glass.
The best Champagne Wine Glass for your sparklings
Now that you’ve read about the difference this glass can make, are you keen to purchase your own?
Since the release of RIEDEL Veritas, many of our collections have debuted with a Champagne Wine Glass in place of a traditional flute.
This includes RIEDEL Veloce.
We’ve also introduced new shapes to classic ranges released prior, like Vinum and Sommeliers, to provide our customers with the ideal product to match any collection they already own.
Our RIEDEL Champagne Wine Glasses are also easy to clean, find out how in our cleaning guide. So they’re the ideal product for parties, intimate dinners, or simple occasions when you want to enjoy a beautiful glass of champagne.
Cheers!
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