To Find the Best Champagne Glasses, I Poured Loads of Bubbly

The pop of a cork and clink of Champagne glasses signifies something special is happening, be it a wedding, party, or just a toast to friends or family. And while most people associate a flute glass with sparkling wine, there are other options, like the tulip glass, that wine experts swear by. (Some even go so far as to say that a universal wine glass is the best Champagne glass.)

But rather than speculate, I popped open some bubbly and tested nine Champagne glasses—including flutes, tulips, and some in-between shapes—to find options for any occasion. I also spoke with Scott Carney, a master sommelier and Dean of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education, to get tips on what to look for in a great Champagne glass. 

The Winners, at a Glance

These elegant glasses sport thick, wide bases that balance their capacious bowls. Champagne was aromatic, with its flavor notes corralled upward with each swirl and sip. 

The thin, rounded lip funneled sparkling wine neatly into my mouth. The wide opening and tulip shape captured and opened up the wine, making for a pleasant drinking experience. 

Wine glasses tend to be pricey, and Champagne glasses are no exception. While hardly cheap, this set of two was one of the least expensive pairs I tested. They had thin, rounded lips that made for smooth sips, and while the stems were delicate, they stood up to my durability tests. The glasses felt nicely balanced, too. 

Flutes have their time and place, and I’d be remiss not to include one as a winner. This glass was nicely weighted and felt balanced. While the aroma of the Champagne was more muted than with a tulip glass, it was still present with each sip. 

The Tests 

• Temperature Test: I poured chilled Champagne into each glass and took the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. I waited 15 minutes, then took the temperature of the Champagne again, noting how much it increased. 
• Taste Test: I took a sip from each Champagne glass, noting if the glass and stem felt balanced. I also observed if the aromas of the wine were accentuated or muted and if it was delightfully fizzy. 
• Cleaning Test: I hand-washed the glasses and noted if they were difficult to clean. I also ran applicable glasses through the dishwasher. 
• Durability Test: I dropped each glass in the sink while cleaning to mimic it slipping out of my hand. 

What We Learned

What Are the Different Kinds of Champagne Glasses?

When you think of Champagne, a flute glass likely comes to mind. This tall, narrow glass has origins in  Gallo-Roman culture but it became popular in Europe during the 16th century. “Over time, it was promoted as ‘the glass of fashion,’ and it became just that as it was wholeheartedly accepted as the glass for Champagne in France and England in the 18th century,” Carney explains. 

While the flute might be the most well-known Champagne glass, there are two other styles often used to serve sparkling wine: tulip and coupe glasses. We tested the latter for its use as a cocktail glass, since the wide opening isn’t conducive to drinking fizzy wine. “The coupe is certainly not the glass for Champagne because the bubbles are lost too quickly and you cannot swirl the wine to appreciate its bouquet,” Carney says. 

On the other hand, the tulip glass, which is a white wine glass, is arguably the glass to serve bubbly in. “Interest in serving Champagne in a white wine tulip stem is a fashion tied to the burgeoning of the small-grower Champagne movement, those who I like to refer to as the ‘fizz farmers,’” Carney says. “These are wine growers who courageously chose to step away from selling all their fruit to the large Champagne houses and began making Champagne on their own. The thinking behind their action was that Champagne is blessed with such unusual soils and climate that the terroir, or sense of place, should be sought out and made manifest.” In other words, the almost diamond-shaped glass, with its tapered top and wider-than-a-flute opening, allows the drinker to catch all of the aromas and flavor notes of the wine they’re sipping. 

During testing, I set out to see if there really was a noticeable difference between tulips and flutes. The answer: There was. 

Tulip Glasses Enhanced Aroma 

Most of the tulip glasses I tested had slightly larger openings than the leaner flute glasses, hovering around 2.25 inches versus the flutes' average of 1.8 inches. Paired with the tulip-like shape, the aroma of sparkling wine funneled up and out. The difference when sipping from a flute was stark: The aroma was much more muted, almost indiscernible in some cases, like with the very pinched Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Flutes. “The con of the flute is its narrowness and its inability to let the consumer swirl the liquid to abet the release of the wine’s aromas,” Carney says. So if you want to take the time to appreciate the nuances of a serving of bubbly, a tulip glass is the way to go (bonus points for being an excellent white wine glass, too). 

But a flute glass isn’t to be totally discounted: They are quite elegant, and when you think of a Champagne toast, a flute probably comes to mind. Plus, as Carney explains, they do have some positive attributes. “If you like the ‘good feeling’ of admiring the rising bubbles, the flute does extend the ‘length of the trip’ and overall duration,” he says. 

Sturdy, Balanced Glasses Were Pleasant to Hold 

Champagne bubbles are ephemeral, but that doesn’t mean the glass has to be. Some glasses, like the Nude Stem Zero Flute Champagne Glass, had stems so delicate and thin, that I feared they would snap in my clumsy paws. While stemmed glasses feel precarious in general, some Champagne glasses mastered the balance between light and elegant and sturdy and steady. The Riedel Performance Champagne Glass was one such glass, with a base diameter of 3.5 inches, the largest of the bunch. The base was thick, too, lending a nice counterweight to a glass of bubbly. Conversely, the Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Flutes had a petite, 2.13-inch diameter base. Though it was paired with a thin flute with a mere 1.13-inch opening, the glass felt precarious.

Temperature Retention Wasn’t Super Important 

Nearly all the glasses I tested, be they flutes or tulips, saw an increase in Champagne temperature, with an average of 6.5 degrees. While not insignificant, it wasn’t discernable when sipping, so I didn’t ding any glasses for it. Plus, Carney explains that you should enjoy Champagne warmer than you might think. “Champagne is all too frequently served overly cold. Coldness shrinks the molecules and masks the bouquet (and flaws!) of the wine,” he says. “For a simple NV Brut, 40 to 45°F is an acceptable range. In this range, one can anticipate a slow, steady release of the mousse [i.e. bubbles] and crispness of the acidity. However, for finer, more complex Champagne, the best blend of overall refreshment and appreciation of the wine’s aroma and flavors lies between 50 to 55°F.”

Fizziness levels remained fairly consistent after 15 minutes, though the flutes often retained a bubbly, foamy head longer than the tulips. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Champagne Glass

I have winners for tulips and flutes since both have their merits. When testing tulip glasses, I favored balanced ones with wide openings and thin—but not too crisp—edges. They should open up the wine and release its aroma. 

Flute glasses must also be balanced, and the opening should be close to two inches—any smaller and it was difficult to sip without my nose getting in the way. Stemmed glasses are fragile, so I appreciated ones that felt sturdy and held up to clumsy handling. 

Our Favorite Champagne Glasses 

What we liked: This glass balanced elegance with practicality and performance. The tapered tulip shape funneled the aroma of the sparkling wine upward, and the opening was wide enough that I could fit my nose inside easily. The stem was elegant and thin while still providing enough surface area for a solid grip, and the wide base kept the glass from tipping easily. 

What we didn’t like: At nearly $100 for two glasses, this set is pricey. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 ounces
• Opening diameter: 2.25 inches
• Base diameter: 3.5 inches
• Stem length: 4.25 inches
• Total height: 9.75 inches
• Material: Crystal
• Capacity: 13.2 ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe

What we liked: Along with the Reidel, this glass had a wide opening that made it easy to sip and take in the full aroma of the Champagne. The rim was thin and rounded, making each sip comfortable and smooth. 

What we didn’t like: The glass was overall a little light, and the base didn’t have the heft to balance the cup when it was full of wine. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.1 ounces
• Opening diameter: 2.25 inches
• Base diameter: 3.13 inches
• Stem length: 4.5 inches
• Total height: 9.2 inches
• Material: Glass
• Capacity: 11.8 fluid ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe; bottom rack, face down

What we liked: This glass had a good weight and felt balanced, even though the base was on the smaller side. The stem was the perfect thickness, too, and the glass overall felt durable. As with the other tulip-shaped glasses, the aroma was captured nicely. At about $50 for two glasses, this was one of the more affordable tulip options I tested. 

What we didn’t like: The opening was smaller than my other favorite tulip glasses, though it was still wide enough that I could fit my nose inside, but just barely. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.7 ounces
• Opening diameter: 2 inches
• Base diameter: 3 inches
• Stem length: 4.75 inches
• Total height: 10 inches
• Material: Lead-free crystalline glass
• Capacity: 11 fluid ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is recommended for best results

What we liked: Out of all the flute glasses I tested, these were by far the best. The glasses were balanced, sturdy, and sat solidly on the table. The openings were just big enough that I could sneak my nose inside with each sip, capturing some of the complexity of the wine. While durable, they still had the elegant taper and form that flutes are known for. 

What we didn’t like: Like with most flute glasses, the aroma of Champagne wasn’t as intense as it was served in a tulip glass. These are petite glasses with a short stem. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 4.9 ounces
• Opening diameter: 1.75 inches
• Base diameter: 2.75 inches
• Stem length: 2.75 inches
• Total height: 8.75 inches
• Material: Crystal
• Capacity: 5.7 fluid ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe

The Competition

• Nude Stem Zero Grace Flute Champagne Glass: This glass looked nothing like the others I tested: It was more of a hybrid between a flute and a stem, with an elongated but wide cup. While it did a fabulous job concentrating aromas upward, it was incredibly light and felt fragile. It was also one of the most expensive options I tested at nearly $90 for a single glass. 
• Schott Zwiesel Tour 8-Oz. Champagne Glass: I liked the slightly rectangular, mod shape of this glass, but the opening was too small and the glass felt bottom-heavy. 
• Dorset Toasting Champagne Flutes: I thought these glasses were elegant and eye-catching, but my husband and friend found them ugly—to each his own. Their bottom-heavy construction and thick lip prevented them from winning a top spot. 
• Crate & Barrel French 7-Oz. Champagne Glass: While I liked these vintage-looking glasses, which had wide openings for aromatic sips, they are no longer available. 
• Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Champagne Flutes: The openings on these flutes were incredibly small making it difficult to take a sip, never mind inhale aromas. 

FAQs

What is the best glass to drink Champagne from?

Carney suggests avoiding coupe glasses, which have wide openings that lose bubbles and aroma rapidly. Instead, look to a tulip glass for the best Champagne-drinking experience: The wide, tapered cup shape funnels aromas neatly into your mouth and nose, allowing for the full expression of the wine. While flute glasses don’t open wine up as much, they are a classic-looking option for serving sparkling wine and hold onto bubbles well. 

What is the best way to clean a Champagne glass? 

Most of the glasses we tested were dishwasher-safe, which resulted in squeaky clean glasses without any water or soap stains. However, dishwashing fragile stemmed glasses is risky, and hand-washing is a safer bet if you're concerned about longevity.

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a senior editor at Serious Eats, where she’s been testing kitchen gear for nearly three years. 
• Before this, she reviewed equipment at America’s Test Kitchen and worked as a prep cook and bartender. 
• For this review, Grace tested nine Champagne glasses by examining their durability, how comfortable they were to sip from and hold, and how quickly the Champagne warmed. 
• She interviewed Scott Carney, master sommelier and Dean of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus for insights into what to look for in a Champagne glass.