Why You Need Champagne Flutes and Glasses

Champagne is a word that instantly brings to mind celebrations. We toast so many special and happy occasions with champagne; a happy couple at their wedding, the arrival of a new baby, a special birthday, a new job or news of an engagement. But in order to be able to really savour this very special sparkling wine we really need to drink it from the correct glasses. Now as a small child, I thought that sparkling wine should be served in the long-stemmed saucer glasses that you see in the old black and white films where they stack the glasses up to create a champagne fountain. My parents had a set of these saucer glasses with the little ‘Babycham’ deer on the side which I loved and from which I used to drink my lemonade complete with a cherry on a cocktail stick at Christmas. So I was very disappointed, to put it mildly, to discover when I was older that champagne was more usually drunk out of flutes.

But what is it about the shape of a champagne flute that makes it so perfect for drinking this wine? Well one of the reasons that we enjoy drinking champagne so much is the way that the bubbles and fizz tickle our nose and make it tingle. Scientists have undertaken research that proves that this 'nose tingling' sensation is much more intense if you drink out of a long, narrow glass than from a much flatter, wider glass. This is because higher levels of carbon dioxide, which is released from the bubbles in the fizzy wine, build up at the top of the liquid in a narrow flute, than in a wider bowl. And it is this carbon dioxide that irritates the sensory nerves in our noses and cause that special, tingly feeling that helps to make drinking champagne such a special treat.

So every house really does need to have a set of champagne flutes, so that when you toast those special occasions you can enjoy the flavour of your fizz to the full. So what type of flute should you choose? Well that, of course, depends very much on your budget and on your taste in glasses. Champagne flutes can either be very plain and relatively inexpensive or you could really splash out on some expensive crystal flutes. Champagne flutes now also come in many different styles and some are engraved, in coloured glass or are stemless. You can get them singly, in pairs or in sets. So you really do have a very wide selection of flutes to choose from and the good news is that you can choose great champagne flutes online.

Plain Champagne Flutes

For every occasion, from a special party to having a quiet drink at home, you cannot go wrong if you have a set of plain, classic champagne flutes. Sparkling wine is becoming much more popular and affordable, so you might find that you need to use those flutes a lot more than you thought. These can be relatively inexpensive, which makes sense if you need to buy a larger quantity for a party, or more expensive crystal champagne flutes. A plain flute will typically have an unadorned long bowl, long stem and simple base. You can buy classy, yet elegant plain champagne flutes from the top manufacturers of crystal such as Waterford, Riedel Glassworks, and Villeroy & Boch. And there are many sets of more affordable flutes to choose from when looking online.

Stemless Champagne Flutes

If you are looking to buy a trendy, up-to-the-minute flute set, you might want to think about stemless champagne flutes. These flutes do not have the traditional bowl and stem, but rather the whole body of the glass tapers down to a very narrow point at the base. Again you can choose from plain but classically elegant, stemless champagne flutes or you can now find them online in fancy coloured glass, engraved glass and with stripes, whirls, bubbles in the glass and other patterns

Cut Crystal Champagne Flutes

For those very special celebrations it is wonderful to be able to drink from cut crystal champagne flutes. The weight and the feel of the smooth crystal glass in your hand, and the clarity and cut of the flute can really enhance your enjoyment of toasting your happy occasion. Crystal champagne flutes can be quite simple or very ornate and intricately carved. These are the flutes that can be cherished and handed down to future generations if looked after carefully, taking with them all the smiles and happy memories from the times they had been used. If you really want to splash out on something special, you can find antique crystal champagne flutes, but if you want to buy contemporary crystal there is a great range to choose from online.

Engraved & Personalized Champagne Flutes

If you are looking for a special gift for a loved one or a friend, you can choose engraved and personalized champagne flutes. What could be a better wedding present for the happy couple than a pair of crystal flutes engraved with their names and the date of their wedding? It would be a wedding gift to cherish for a lifetime. So many other occasions lend themselves to giving personalized champagne flutes as a gift, such as silver and golden wedding anniversaries, special birthdays, job promotions, engagements and special achievements.

Novelty Champagne Flutes

If you are looking for something a bit more unusual, there are many novelty champagne flutes available online. There are sets of flutes in coloured glass, highly decorated with carvings, gems and silver rims. In fact, it is now very popular to have them covered in gold, silver or pewter. You can even buy a champagne flute that is one glass with two bowls that is ideal for a couple that is toasting their future together.

If you are looking for a perfect gift for someone, you can buy flutes complete complete with bottle of champagne. These luxury gift sets are particularly popular at Christmas and for Valentine’s Day and some of the gift sets allow you to have the champagne flute engraved or personalized.

Plastic Champagne Flutes

Of course, for the outdoors types among you there are now plastic champagne flutes available. Often, they can be taken apart to make them easier to carry, so they are perfect to take out on picnics or if you are going on a camping trip. So if you are taking your beloved up a mountain or to a romantic, secluded beach to propose, you no longer have to worry about breaking the glasses as you can just pack the plastic champagne flutes. They are also ideal for any occasion where there might be small children around, as even if they are knocked over they cannot be broken.

So raise your glasses for that special toast! Looking for great champagne flutes online could not be easier and you have a huge selection to choose from. So next time that you are planning that special celebration, make sure you have chosen and bought your favourite champagne flutes so that you can raises your glasses and cheer.

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