Champagne, that popular, sparkling wine known the world over, is one of the most salable drinks.
Chardonnay, the white wine, is a good companion to white meat like fish and chicken, and burgundy, the red wine goes well with red meat like pork and beef. Champagne is produced through secondary fermentation and carbonation. Grapes are used to produce wine and the process usually takes years. The older the wine is, the better it is supposed to taste and the higher the price it commands. In champagne and wine, older is better.
Champagne is served in glasses called champagne flutes. Serving champagne on regular glasses takes away some of the appeal of the experience of drinking champagne. Champagne, after all, is a classy drink and it does not look good at all if you serve champagne on drinking glasses, margarita glasses or plastic tumblers. Although there are plastic substitutes, glasses are still preferred by most people.
Why Use Champagne Flutes
It is a widely accepted standard that champagne must be served in tall, narrow and tulip shaped flutes, although there are champagne saucers and wine glasses. The narrow opening of the flute traps and concentrates the aromas; this is why you constantly see wine and champagne connoisseurs sniffing the champagne before taking a sip. The shape of individual flutes has a purpose. They are shaped that way to help preserve the chill of the wine. It also helps showcase the bubbles of the champagne more effectively than other glasses and it prevents the champagne from losing its effervescence. It is designed for functionality.
There are also people who collect hard to find champagne flutes. They are also collectibles like pink depression glass.
Other Uses of Champagne Glasses
Champagne flutes are not just for drinking champagne, it is also used for serving desserts. Champagne coupes or bowl-shaped champagne glasses are used for serving ice creams, gelatin, and fruits with cream. It can also be used for mousse and pudding with iced teaspoons.
Wedding champagne Flutes
Not only are these glasses used for drinking champagne, they are also very important when it comes to weddings. As you may have noticed already, there is a point in the wedding reception where the attention of everyone present is called and the father of the bride, a close friend of the couple's or the best man make the wedding toast to the cheers of all present. The wedding champagne flutes take center stage during this ceremony.
There are various styles of of these kinds of glasses. There are flutes, which come in the traditional shape, and others shaped like a trumpet. These flutes can also be personalized for a more romantic effect. There are several companies online which are willing to personalize flutes according to a customer's specifications for an additional fee.
Taking Care of Champagne Flutes
Champagne flutes, especially the crystal ones can be very expensive, most of the time depending on the brand, so it is only right to take care of them. Buying champagne flutes and having them break is money going down the drain. I am quite sure most people would not want this.
As mentioned earlier, these are generally known as stemware, cost a lot of money so they should be used as often as you can, to get the best bang for your buck. They should be found held in the hands of guests while enjoying conversations and reminiscing memories rather than on the display cabinet, sitting and accumulating dust, unless of course they are unique, hard to find collectors that you cannot risk them being broken or chipped.
Most flutes can be washed through the dishwasher but hand washing would also be a good option. Wash the flutes in warm, soapy water and wipe dry with a free lint cloth and store in champagne glass chests or stemware racks. It is recommended that they be stored in a cupboard with a glass cover to prevent them from getting dusty. To safeguard the flutes, avoid exposure to rapid changes in temperature. This includes putting the flute straight to the freezer after taking them out of the hot dishwasher. This will cause the glass to beak, chip and crack.