Michael Austin’s article, “Have you been drinking champagne all wrong?”, explores the shift from using traditional champagne flutes to regular wine glasses for drinking sparkling wine. Austin notes that this trend is particularly evident at wineries, where winemakers themselves prefer regular wine glasses, specifically Bordeaux glasses, for serving sparkling wine. These glasses, typically used for sauvignon blanc or cabernet sauvignon, allow the wine’s aromas to be more pronounced, enhancing the overall tasting experience.
Austin conducted an experiment with a group of casual wine drinkers, comparing their impressions of sparkling wines served in flutes versus regular glasses. The participants consistently found the wines in regular glasses to have more pleasant and abundant aromas, using descriptive terms like “ocean,” “grapefruit,” “peach,” and “apple.” In contrast, the aromas from the flutes were described as “fading” and “weak.”
While flutes do have the advantage of highlighting the wine’s effervescence and brightness, Austin argues that this benefit is outweighed by the limitations they impose on swirling and sipping the wine. He also dismisses the historical coupe glass, which he describes as impractical for modern use.
Ultimately, Austin suggests that wine enthusiasts should consider switching to regular wine glasses for sparkling wine to fully appreciate its aromas and flavors. He concludes with a light-hearted recommendation for a New Year’s resolution: “Quit the flute.”
http://www.goodfood.com.au/drinks/wine/have-you-been-drinking-champagne-all-wrong-20170116-gtss7b