It would seem that champagne glasses are very simple objects that do not deserve much attention and conversation. But, if you consider the history of their creation, many facts will be very interesting and curious. How did the wine glasses appear, what are they like, why did they get just such a form? We’ll talk about this.
The history of sparkling wine glasses
Champagne is truly a refined drink that deserves both the most flattering words and glasses that emphasize its dignity. It is sparkling wine that is the main attribute of the table, emphasizing the special mood of the festive feast.
Over a long period, champagne glasses changed their shape, but invariably remained elegant and sophisticated, like the noble drink itself.
Initially, champagne was served in glasses that had a conical shape. Later, sparkling wine began to be drunk from goblets made of wood and metal. Also used vessels in the form of a female breast, which were called "coupe de champagne".
Glasses of this form have been in use for three centuries, and currently they are used in the construction of pyramids from wine glasses, into which champagne is bottled, at various presentations and receptions.
Continuation of a story
There is a version of historians that the first champagne glasses appeared in France under King Louis XV. He ordered the court glassblowers to make wine glasses that resembled the shape of the chest of his favorite - the Marquise de Pompadour. This became known to the Russian Empress Catherine II, and she ordered to make glasses of an elongated shape.
In the XVIII century, French glassblowers began to produce crystal champagne glasses, which had thin walls that had the shape of an elongated tulip. Tall and narrow wine glasses, called "champagne flute" had a long leg and were not only convenient for tasting sparkling wine, but also emphasized the beauty of the drink and the play of bubbles.
In addition, Klaus Joseph Riedel, a manufacturer of glasses for various drinks, proved that the cup-shaped shape of champagne glasses negatively affects the aroma and taste of wine. And he cited a number of arguments confirming that the shape of wine glasses always plays a big role in the perception of the taste and aroma of champagne and other drinks.
Shapes, types and types of glasses
Champagne glasses from other glasses for alcoholic beverages are distinguished by the peculiarity of the forms. Several classic varieties can be noted - this is a goblet, flute and tulip.
- A goblet is also known as a “saucer”. This wine glass has a shallow, wide bowl and a medium-length leg. These glasses were very popular at the beginning of the 20th century and were considered the best option for sparkling wine. Later they began to use glasses of a different shape, and they practically stopped using cups. The fact is that its bowl does not allow the bubbles to play at full strength, and the area of contact of the drink with air is too large. As a result, everything leads to the fact that sparkling wine quickly exhales and loses its dignity.
- Crystal champagne glasses, which are called "flute", have a tall and narrow bowl on a long leg. In glasses of this form, the bubbles contained in the drink richer and brighter convey the aroma and taste of sparkling wine. Compared to a goblet in a flute, gas bubbles concentrate better and rise up, emphasizing the whole gamut of taste.
- Wine glass "Tulip" is not as widespread as a goblet and flute. It looks like a flute glass, but it has a more capacious bowl, which expands to the middle and narrows to the edges. Remotely, this glass resembles the shape of an unblown tulip.
The evolution of shapes and sizes
No matter how strange it may seem today, but before winemakers tried to get rid of gas bubbles that formed during the manufacture of wine. Wine made in Burgundy, which had increased sweetness and ductility, was considered a reference drink. Two well-known French producers argued about which wine is better - with or without bubbles. Their dispute was resolved by the Duke of Orleans, who liked the sparkling wine.
After that, they started using champagne glasses for champagne to drink this sparkling drink. To know, imitating the duke, she began to use it in large quantities.
Initially, glasses in which champagne was served did not receive much attention. For the first time, doctors who used sparkling wine to treat colds caught their attention. They noticed that when filling narrowed glasses, the foam forms better, and the drink has its effect on the patient more effectively. It is this form of wine glasses that has become the prototype of modern glasses.
"Bohemia": champagne glasses
Bohemian glass was first mentioned in the annals of 1162, it was made in the Czech Republic and exported to other European countries. Bohemian glass has long been famous for its quality and external beauty.
For the manufacture of such glasses, quartz sand and lead oxide are used, which are heated in an oven to a temperature of 1500 ° C. By its characteristics, only Venetian crystal can compete with Bohemian glass, but it is believed that the Czechs were able to surpass their Italian competitors.
Champagne glasses made of Bohemian glass (there is even such a brand of Bohemia) are durable, clean and unique sound. The technology for the production and processing of Bohemian crystal is unique.
Currently, sets of glasses of various shapes, sizes and finishes are being produced. Today there is, for example, silver and gold trim. Light falling on crystal glasses decorated with this method spreads around a wide palette of bright colors. Because of their unique characteristics and extraordinary beauty, Bohemian champagne glasses are quite expensive.
Russian glasses
In Russia, one of the main places for the production of various glass products is the city of Gus-Khrustalny. Centuries ago, in 1756, glass and crystal of excellent quality began to be made here, which was known not only in Russia, but also in many European countries.
It produces highly artistic products that have no analogues in the world. So, for example, in Gus-Khrustalny, champagne glasses are produced with gold threads inside the glass itself. They are called Venetian threads, but the masters of Venice decorated their items on the outside with gilt threads, and did not “implant” them inside.
Currently, the plant produces exclusive copyright collections of crystal. Almost all the products of the plant are a work of modern art.
Wine Glass Requirements
The bowl of the wine glass should be elongated and narrow, since it is this shape that guarantees the long circulation of bubbles in the glass. In ordinary wine glasses, for example, in goblets, sparkling wine quickly loses carbon dioxide (bubbles).
The diameter of the neck of the wine glass must be small, otherwise the aroma of the sparkling drink will evaporate too quickly. The leg of the glass should be long so that the wine does not heat up from the heat of the hand, and is cold, preserving its taste and aroma for a long time.
Here is one interesting little-known fact: elite manufacturers specially apply microdefects on the glass of champagne glasses for champagne. This is done so that the carbon dioxide flows rise in the strictly necessary direction, revealing the fullness of the bouquet. However, crystal manufacturers do not recommend scratching the walls of glasses themselves, as this can damage the wine glasses and completely ruin them.
Which is better - crystal or glass wine glasses?
In many countries of the world, all glass products in which the lead content is less than 4% are labeled “glass”. And those products in which lead is present at about 10% and higher are already marked as “crystal”.
The lead in the glass makes it more plastic and convenient for engraving. Crystal is heavier than ordinary glass, from which sets of champagne glasses are made. The higher the percentage of lead oxide in a glass product, the cleaner and more expensive the crystal.
Crystal differs from ordinary glass also in that the first optically bifurcates the facets. And the glasses become warmer when they are touched by hands, and slightly increase the surrounding objects, if you look at them through a glass.
Wedding traditions
Champagne glasses and champagne at the wedding are mandatory attributes, without which it is difficult to imagine any marriage. Today it is difficult to say where and under what circumstances such a tradition appeared for the newlyweds - to break glasses after drinking champagne, but it is observed at every wedding.
It is believed that broken wine glasses are a symbol of the cessation of the bachelor life of the bride and groom, so to speak, the destruction of the symbols of loneliness. In some nations, an unbroken glass is considered an indicator of the strength of a new family, while in others a large number of glass fragments speaks of future wealth. However, in all traditions, guests are invited to completely break the wedding glasses to share the joy and happiness of the couple.
How to serve champagne
In order for sparkling wine to reveal the whole gamut of taste, it must be served following certain rules. If champagne is supposed to be served without a special bucket of ice, then the bottle must be cooled to the right temperature.
Champagne should be cooled in the refrigerator, but in no case in the freezer, in which wine will change its taste. You can also cool the drink in an ice bucket. Serve champagne at a temperature of +7 ° C.
Some experts say that the taste and aroma of sparkling wine will be better kept in a glass if several ice cubes are lowered into it before bottling. However, this is fundamentally wrong, since the walls of the glass are cooling and clouding, condensation appears on the glass, which completely changes the taste and aroma of the noble drink.
How to pour
There are certain rules for the proper bottling of champagne in glasses. They cannot be filled completely with a glass. Glasses of a classical form are filled by two-thirds, large wine glasses - only by a third.
So that champagne does not lose most of the bubbles during bottling, it must be correctly poured into a glass. Wine is poured into the wineglass along its wall slowly, in a fine stream, tilting the bottle 45 °. The glass must be filled two times, after the first it is necessary to give time to the drink so that the foam settles.
It is contraindicated to pour sparkling wine into wet glasses, in this case the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in champagne will be impaired, which will affect the taste of the contents.
It also affects how to wash wine glasses. It is important to note that glasses cannot be washed in a dishwasher, since the detergents used in them contain silicone additives that remain on the walls of wine glasses, even after thorough rinsing. Glasses must be washed manually using a natural soap and rinsed with clean running water.
Glass pyramid
At receptions and presentations, the organizers, in order to emphasize the solemnity of the event, often build pyramids of wine glasses with champagne to treat guests. They are also used to take an aperitif at a wedding or anniversary.
Pyramids of champagne glasses with sparkling wine are sometimes built from a huge number of glasses, usually 35 to 364 pieces are used. The more wine glasses are exposed, the more spectacular the design looks.
When creating such pyramids, champagne glasses are used that have the shape of a cup (saucer). After the structure is built, they begin to very slowly pour a drink with a thin stream from the very top glass. This continues until all the containers are filled with sparkling wine, which descends to the lower wine glasses along the legs of the higher ones.
Conclusion
Which glasses to use for drinking champagne, everyone decides for himself. But it should be borne in mind that the shape of the glass was transformed over time for a number of objective reasons. And in order to enjoy the taste and aroma of fine sparkling wines to the full, you need to use those glasses that are recommended by professionals.