It was with this in mind that we had a small staff gathering to sample for ourselves a selection of glassware items; comparing which style is the best for drinking Champagne or Sparkling Wine. Our commitment to customer satisfaction ever present, we spent a few hours one sunny Friday afternoon ‘comparing’ and ‘contrasting’ a few lovely bottles of Italian Prosecco in four different shaped glasses. It was a tough job, but we managed to do it all in the name of research – and here’s how it went.
The Rules of the Experiment
Four different shapes of glasses were used in this sampling; the first was a traditional Tulip Flute shape, we then had a Trumpet shaped glass, a Coupe Saucer and finally a regular white wine glass. We kept an eye out for a few important features we needed to look for to distinguish which glass was ‘the best’. Firstly, the feel of the glass in the hand – is it comfortable or awkward to hold? Secondly, the ‘clink’ test – does it give a nice ding when you toast? Thirdly, does it maintain its bubbles well, because a flat Sparkling Wine is never good. Finally, is the glass high quality and does it look nice?
During the few hours we spent sampling we nibbled on strawberries and chocolate truffles – for scientific purposes of course. There was some disagreement as to whether it was best to eat them before or after taking a sip but in all honesty I don’t think any of us really minded and we were all in agreement that they went down deliciously with the fizz.
The Test Subjects
The White Wine glass was the first up and unfortunately didn’t set us off to the best of starts. It felt a little bulky compared to the traditional smaller Sparkling Wine glasses and some of us felt it took that special occasion feeling away from the bubbly drink. It clinked nicely because it was a quality glass but because of the wide opening it soon became flat. Experts reckon an expensive Champagne can be appreciated better in this style of glass because it allows the wine to breathe and develop. Amongst us samplers though, a bottle of Dom Perignon or the like is not an oftentimes beverage, so we didn’t find it to work too well with our Prosecco!
Secondly to sample was the
Trumpet shaped glass by Durobor. The slimmer, more traditional shape felt more familiar to hold and drink from and maintained a pleasant fizz to our drinks. Being on the lower end of the price range made them a bargain, but showed in the thickness of the glass; giving more of a ‘clunk’ than a ‘clink’ when it came to the toast test.
The third glass was the traditional
Tulip Flute by Dartington Crystal. The quality was apparent with these glasses and we all agreed that they were lovely and lightweight to hold and by far maintained the bubbles the best out of all of the glasses. The superior crystals made a lovely clink against each other and the simple design is timeless; suiting any occasion. As the only crystal brand still producing in Britain, there is the added bonus of supporting UK manufacturing with these glasses.
The final glass we tried was
LSA International’s Edge Coupe Saucer. Now this glass split opinions slightly because whilst the wide, shallow saucer meant that the fizz was lost quite quickly, the glass was high quality and made a pleasant clink. It also stood out design wise as extremely elegant and pleasant to hold and drink from. The art deco style of the glass had real old world charm and felt special compared to the simpler designs of the other glasses.
The Findings (apart from discovering we really enjoy Prosecco)
The end of our rigorous scientific study came around far too soon and we proceeded to take a vote on which glass we all preferred. In the end it came down to personal preferance between the traditional flute and the coupe saucer. If you’re a connoisseur and more concerned about keeping your Sparkling Wine at its optimal taste and texture, then we would suggest going for a Flute or Tulip shape of good quality glass. Although, as mentioned, experts do recommend that a wine glass is the better option for allowing high quality Champagne to breathe and develop in your glass. However, if you want something that feels more luxurious, then the Coupe Saucers are great for a special occasion – the fizz may vanish a bit quicker but let’s be honest, it won't be in there long enough for that!
If you feel like donning a lab coat and undertaking your own study into this vital field of research we have the perfect LSA set to offer you
here (which also qualifies for the free LSA Vase)! Shop a wide range of Champagne and Sparkling Wine glasses in all shapes and sizes for you next soiree easily on our website. We’d love to hear your thoughts – share your pictures with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and don’t forget to follow or like our pages where you can get up to date news on all of our new products, along with links to our latest blog posts. Just click on the icons at the bottom of the page to take you to our sites.
