The Science Behind the Perfect Glass for Fizzy Drinks
Whether it’s a celebration or a bottomless brunch, nothing hits the spot quite like a glass of fizz. However, it turns out that you may have been drinking prosecco wrong all this time. While many people prefer a traditional flute, recent scientific research suggests that this might not be the best choice for enjoying sparkling wines.
In a new book titled Sparkling Beverages: Champagne And Beyond, physicist Gérard Liger–Belair explores whether there is an ideal glass to fully appreciate the taste of sparkling wines. His findings reveal some interesting insights about the impact of glass shape on both aroma and effervescence.
Traditional Flutes vs. New Designs
The regular flute is known for delivering a stronger aroma and more intense nose, which many wine enthusiasts appreciate. However, a traditional coupe can make the drink feel smoother. But what’s even more intriguing is a ‘curious glass prototype’ that has caught the attention of Liger–Belair. This glass features a chalice that is inclined at around 60 degrees relative to its leg. According to the physicist, this design offers multiple advantages when tasting sparkling wine.
The glass has a regular stem but is topped with an elongated, tear-drop shaped chalice that is turned on its side. Professor Liger–Belair mentioned that this unique design is being considered by a famous Michelin-starred restaurant in France, where he had the opportunity to experience it firsthand.
Enhancing Aroma and Bubbles
The tilted design of the glass helps boost the scent of the wine and, most importantly, prevents bubbles from being lost too quickly. Liger–Belair explained that tilting a glass increases the surface area of the wine available for breathing in its aromas. He noted that when tasting a wine, people instinctively tilt their glass to better feel the scents escaping from it. When a wine is tasted in a glass whose chalice is already tilted, the aromatic perception is naturally increased by geometric effect.
Aroma plays a crucial role in the sensory experience of wine, as it accounts for most of what we perceive as ‘flavour’. For sparkling varieties, the aroma reveals the wine’s character, ranging from fresh and fruity floral notes to more complex aromas like hazelnut.
Another key feature of sparkling wine is the bubbles, which can also be enhanced by this unique glass shape. Liger–Belair explained that when sparkling wine or champagne is poured vertically, the turbulence caused by its sudden fall into the glass accelerates the loss of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2). This reduces the ‘reservoir’ of CO2 needed to produce bubbles.
“When served in this tilted glass, the wine flows much more gently to invade the chalice, which therefore preserves aromas, but also a significant quantity of dissolved CO2 for more effervescence during tasting,” he wrote. “Once the wine is served in this tilted glass, the wine naturally has a reservoir of additional dissolved CO2, which will allow the formation of a greater number of bubbles throughout the tasting.”
The Impact of Climate Change on Sparkling Wines
Scientists have previously warned that prosecco could soon be wiped out by global warming and climate change. Mountainside vineyards, where the grapes used to make the bubbly beverage are produced, are most at risk from soil degradation and drought. This phenomenon also affects other famous vintages such as Burgundy, Grand Cru, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the world’s most popular red.
Dr. Paolo Tarolli, lead author of the study from the University of Padova in Italy, emphasized the broader implications of this issue. He stated, “The risk is not only losing an agricultural product or seeing a landscape change, negatively impacting the local economy. The risk is losing entire communities’ history and their cultural roots.”
