The Best Champagne Flute

Champagne is for more than celebrating. The bubbly beverage can be a great addition to any occasion, from elaborate parties to simply unwinding after a long day of work. But if you’re a fan of any type of wine, you likely already know that the design of the glass you use plays an essential role in your enjoyment.

A champagne flute is built to reduce the surface area at the top of the glass, keeping air escape to a minimum. For sparkling wines, that preserves bubbles, preventing your beverage from going flat a few sips in. However, not all types of sparkling wines do best with a flute. The tall, narrow design works best with extremely dry sparkling wines, including Brut, Extra-Brut and Brut Nature.

One debate that seems to continue to rage between wine connoisseurs concerns stemless versus stemmed glasses. Stems have long been used to keep the hand away from the beverage. As your hand cups the glass, it warms the liquid inside, and you’ll want your champagne to remain chilled as long as possible.

However, in recent years, stemless glasses have become more popular, especially for those who don’t plan to hold the glass while drinking. Stemmed glasses are easy to accidentally knock over. This is especially true of champagne flutes, which tend to be top-heavy. If you prefer a stemmed glass, yet you fear an accident, a white wine glass may be a better option for your sparkling wines.

The type of glass also factors into your enjoyment. Fine crystal is not only attractive, but it tends to keep that chill you want. However, it can be delicate, making it more likely you’ll keep it in storage except for special occasions. Be honest with yourself as you’re shopping and choose a champagne flute that you’ll feel comfortable using every day.

• Champagne flutes can be top-heavy, so keep durability in mind while you’re shopping. The glass should be thick enough to hold up to accidental drops without adding weight. The upper rim should also be thick enough to withstand chipping.
• If you’re having a party, you may find disposable champagne flutes more feasible. You can toss them in the trash when the party is over. This also allows you to buy enough glasses for a crowd when you typically only need enough for your adult family members.
• Although champagne flutes made from fine crystal can be impressive, it will need to be treated with care. This means you may end up saving them for special occasions.
• Some champagne flutes can be washed in the dishwasher, while others require hand washing.
• Champagne flutes come in both stemless and stemmed versions. Although glasses with stems keep your hands away from the part of the glass holding the liquid, stemless glasses are less likely to be knocked over.
• Storing stemmed wine glasses of any type can be complicated, as they typically aren’t stackable. Consider where you will keep your glasses between uses.
• Disposable champagne flutes can often be washed and reused at least one more time. They’re also stackable for easy storage.
• Pay attention to the capacity of the champagne flutes you choose. Typically, you’ll find they hold between 7 and 9 ounces.
• For taking champagne on the go, you can’t go wrong with an insulated tumbler. They’re designed to keep your drink chilled for hours. It also keeps sparkling wines from going flat. Best of all, the larger insulated wine tumblers can hold a large amount of wine at once.
• Borosilicate glass is tough enough for a variety of environments. You can often put champagne flutes made of this type of glass in the dishwasher, or even store in the freezer or heat in the microwave if you must. Crystal flutes are more sensitive.