how to serve champagne and sparkling wine

Champagne is a luxurious drink that should always be enjoyed at its best. We've brought together these simple serving tips to help you make the most of every bottle and impress your guests. You can also use this advice when serving other sparkling wines, such as prosecco and cava.

• The ideal temperature to serve champagne
• Types of champagne glasses
• How many glasses of champagne are in a bottle?
• Serving ideas: Champagne garnishes and cocktails
• How to open champagne
• How to pour champagne
• How to hold a champagne glass
• How to clean a champagne glass

Shop champagne flutes and wine glasses

the ideal temperature to serve champagne

The ideal temperature to serve champagne is 8–10°C, according to The Comité Champagne. This means that long-term chilling in the fridge is not recommended, because most of us have our fridges set to 1–5°C. Connoisseurs also advise against using your freezer for chilling, as the extreme temperature can harm the wine's quality.  

If you don't have a wine fridge, try chilling your champagne in an ice bucket filled with half ice, half cold water. The bottle should reach the ideal serving temperature in 20–30 minutes. This method should also help you to enjoy other sparkling white wines, such as prosecco and cava, at their best.

To keep champagne cool at the table, it’s best to use a wine cooler to insulate the bottle. Continuing to use the ice bucket could make your sparkling wine too cold, making it harder to appreciate its full flavour. Please note that connoisseurs also advise against adding ice to champagne, as this will melt and water it down.

types of champagne glasses

The four most common types of champagne glasses are flutes, tulip glasses, saucers, and white wine glasses.

• Champagne flutes are commonly used in restaurants and bars. They have long stems and tall, straight, narrow bowls that help to capture wine aromas and maintain fizz. The height of a champagne flute is usually 20–25cm (8–10 inches).
• Tulip glasses have long stems and shapely bowls, reminiscent of tulip buds. The widest part of the bowl creates a large surface area for wine aromas to develop, while the narrower rim helps to trap them inside.
• Champagne saucers, also known as coupe glasses, have tall stems and wide, short bowls. They are often referred to as vintage, retro, or old-fashioned champagne glasses — you may recognise them from movies like The Great Gatsby.
• White wine glasses are increasingly used for sparkling varieties. Many connoisseurs believe that this is the best champagne glass shape, because the wider bowl and rim allow for better enjoyment of the bouquet. 

As a rule of thumb, a wider rim makes it easier to inhale wine aromas but enables bubbles to dissipate more quickly. Conversely, a narrow rim makes it harder to appreciate the bouquet but does a better job of preserving fizz.

Long stems are considered important on champagne glasses, because they allow you to avoid putting your hand into contact with the bowl, which can affect the temperature of your sparkling wine. You may therefore wish to avoid trumpet flutes, which have stems that form part of the bowl, and stemless champagne glasses, which are similar to tumblers.

Shop champagne flutes and saucers and white wine glasses

styles and materials

All types of champagne glasses come in various colours and styles, so you can choose designs to suit your tastes as well as your table setting. There are also different materials available. 

Crystal is considered a luxury alternative to glass. As well as offering a reassuring weight, an eye-catching sparkle, and that characteristic musical quality, crystal is extremely strong. This makes it possible to produce champagne glasses with thin rims, which can provide a more pleasant drinking experience.

Many people turn to plastic champagne glasses for outdoor use, to eliminate the risk of breakages. Biodegradable and recycled plastic flutes are among the eco-friendliest options.

Shop champagne flutes, wine glasses, and crystal glass sets

how many glasses of champagne are in a bottle?

There are six glasses of champagne in a bottle. This is based on a standard 750ml bottle size and a serving of 125ml per person, which is commonly used in restaurants and bars.

The same applies to other sparkling wines, such as prosecco and cava.

Champagne glasses are usually filled to the halfway mark and rarely more than two-thirds. This allows room for the wine's bouquet of aromas to form. Smaller servings can also keep their temperature better.

how many glasses are in a magnum of champagne?

There are 12 glasses of champagne in a magnum, based on a serving size of 125ml per person. As the equivalent of two standard bottles, a magnum holds 1.5 litres of wine.

Use the table below to find out how many servings are in each champagne bottle size.

serving ideas: champagne garnishes and cocktails

Champagne garnishes can be used to decorate your glass or even add flavour. The most popular option is a fresh strawberry, either perched on the rim of the glass or dropped into the wine. Raspberries, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, citrus peels, and sprigs of rosemary can also work well but are generally avoided when it comes to finer sparkling wines. For more inspiration, take a look at our cocktail garnishes and decoration ideas.

Champagne cocktails allow you to experiment with all kinds of flavour combinations. Recipes usually mix sparking white wines with fruit liqueur, puree, or juice, alongside fresh fruit or herb garnishes. Some of the most popular include:

• Kir Royale: Add one measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) into a flute and then top with champagne. Garnish with a fresh blackberry or raspberries.
• Peach Bellini: Add approximately one finger's depth of peach puree to a flute and then top with champagne. A slice of fresh peach makes the perfect garnish.
• Mimosa: Also known as a Buck's Fizz, this is a combination of champagne and orange juice. It's a refreshing drink, popular at brunch, that can be mixed to your taste.
• French 75: Equal parts gin and champagne mixed with a measure of lemon juice and sugar syrup. Best shaken over ice and served with a twist of lemon peel.

when to serve champagne

Champagne is the perfect drink to serve whenever there's cause for celebration. Whether it's a wedding anniversary, a landmark birthday, or the turn of the New Year, it is traditional to toast the occasion with a glass of bubbly. Champagne and champagne cocktails are particularly popular at Christmas, when people are looking to indulge and get into the festive spirit.

It is also increasingly common for champagne to be served at afternoon tea, which may inspire you if you're looking to recreate the experience at home. 

Champagne is made in France, but there are lots of other sparkling white wines to try. Italian prosecco and Spanish cava are popular choices, but many other varieties, such as English sparkling wine, have received critical acclaim. You can also purchase non-alcoholic sparkling wines.

how to open champagne

When opening a bottle of champagne, it is important to keep a firm grip on the bottle throughout, always pointing the cork away from yourself and others.

1. Remove the foil wrapping that's covering the wire cork cage (muselet). There's usually a tab to make this easier, but you can use a foil cutter for a neater result.
2. With a firm grasp on the top of the cork, untwist the metal loop on the wire cage. (There's no need to remove it.)
3. Keeping a firm grasp on the cork, use your other hand to tilt the bottle to 45 degrees and then slowly rotate the bottle. The pressure should soon cause the cork to release.

how to pour champagne

Sommeliers will usually pour champagne by grasping the end of the bottle with their thumb placed in the punt (the dent in the bottom). You may wish to support the neck of the bottle with your other hand.

And while is it traditional to pour into the glass vertically, French scientists discovered that pouring at an angle preserves more of the fizz. It's also a good idea to go slowly, to prevent foam (the mousse) from rising too high or overflowing.

Your chosen champagne glasses should be clean and cool (but not cold) to the touch. It's usually best to fill them around halfway and not more than two-thirds. 

If there is any champagne remaining, try using a wine cooler to keep it at the ideal serving temperature. Once opened, sparkling wine is best enjoyed as soon as possible.

how to hold a champagne glass

It is best to hold a champagne glass by the stem. As well as looking and feeling more elegant, this will prevent your hand from warming the wine. It also allows you to admire the bubbles.

Pinch just below the bowl with your thumb and index finger then rest your other fingers on the stem, or pinch just above the base and rest your other fingers below.

how to clean champagne glasses

It is usually best to clean champagne glasses with a soft sponge in hot, lightly soapy water. 

Some are suitable for use in the dishwasher, especially if yours has a glass programme. However, stemmed glasses can be difficult to rack securely, making them more liable to breakage. There is also a risk of clouding (caused by limescale build-up, particularly in hard-water areas) or etching (whereby the glass is damaged by soft water, heat, or harsh detergent).

After handwashing or dishwashing your champagne glasses, it's a good idea to rinse them in hot water. This will remove any lingering residues that could affect the flavour and fizziness of your sparkling wine. Air-drying is best, but you could dry and polish them with a lint-free cloth.

Denby champagne glasses

At Denby, we offer champagne glasses and white wine glasses in various styles. From beautiful crystal champagne flutes cut with intricate designs to colourful stems, you can treat yourself or find the perfect gift.

Many of our glasses are available as part of wider dinnerware collections, allowing you to create a cohesive table setting for any occasion.

Please drink alcohol responsibly. For more information, visit https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/.