Latest news with #MaximilianRiedel
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The common mistake you're making while drinking champagne - and how to enjoy a glass of bubbly the right way
You're drinking champagne wrong if you reach for a flute every time a bottle is popped, experts have said. The glassware 'does nothing' for champagne and sparkling wines, according to an 11th-generation Austrian glassmaker who has vowed to 'make them obsolete'. Speaking to The Telegraph, Maximilian Riedel recommended swapping it for a traditional white wine glass or a tulip-shaped one with a larger surface area that allows you to savour the wine's aroma before taking a sip. Riedel isn't the only expert with a distate for champagne served in flutes; sommelier Sandia Chang had them banned from Kitchen Table, the two-Michelin-starred London restaurant she runs with her chef husband James Knappett. Apart from their aesthetic appeal, experts insist there's no benefit to drinking champagne or sparking wines from flutes as award-winning drinks writer and broadcaster Helena Nicklin told FEMAIL the narrow glasses add a 'sense of occasion to drinking bubbles'. However, it is true you miss a lot of the flavour, she continued. 'Wine needs space and air to open up after all that time in the bottle, so serving it in a skinny flute is like keeping the mute button on,' Nicklin said. 'While this doesn't matter so much with inexpensive Prosecco or cheap fizz, it's a real shame for those more premium, traditionally-made sparkling wines and Champagnes that have layers of delicate flavours,' she added. She recommends swapping the flute for a tulip-shaped glass that about the same width as a small white wine glass that will give the wine the room it needs to 'breathe while keeping the bubbles in as best as possible'. Yann Munier, a native of the Champagne region and Cellar Master at the G. H. Mumm Champagne house, previously told MailOnline a white wine glass or rounded flute is preferable to a Champagne 'coupe'. 'I recommend a white wine glass or a rounded flute for optimal tasting. Indeed, the Champagne "coupe" (a very flat glass) disperses the aromas and there is not enough height in the wine to see the bubbles. 'So choose a glass in which you can swirl the wine to smell it and with a tighter top.' Munier's top tips for enjoying a glass of bubbly include serving it chilled, but not iced, at around six to eight degrees Celsius as an aperiif. If it's being enjoyed with a main course, the ideal temperature is between nine and 12 degrees. He advises pouring the Champagne slowly while tilting the glass to preserve the bubbles. 'Don't fill the glass completely, two-thirds full is the maximum, leaving enough space for the aromas to develop,' he said. Some of the common mistakes include servicng Champagne 'too hot or cold' or using the wrong glass. 'It's also important to remember that tasting Champagne should be a full sensory experience - take time to look at the colour and feel the effervescence, smell the aromas and savour the complexity of the flavours,' he added. It comes after sales of champagne in the UK slumped to a 25-year low amid the cost-of-living crisis and the rise of sober-curious GenZ. MailOnline reported that 22.3 million bottles of bubbly were shipped to Britain last year, which is the lowest since 2000 when 20.5 million were imported. A decline in sales has led to a significant increase in price with the cost of a bottle soaring by 25 per cent in the last three years alone. At many major retailers, shoppers can now expect to pay more than £40 for champagne. It's hardly surprising then that sales of alternatives such as Prosecco are at an 'all-time-high'. At Waitrose, a bottle of Waitrose Blueprint Prosecco can be snapped up for just £6.39. Indeed, 660 million bottles of prosecco and more than 114.5 million bottles of Cremant, a similar alternative, were sold in 2024. But a bottle of champagne doesn't necessarily have to break the bank; while you may be tempted to splash out on a luxury bottle, Which? has deemed three non-vintage champagnes from supermarket chains Teso, Aldi and Waitrose are better than the leading brand. A panel of four independent wine experts then blind-tasted the selection, scoring them to uncover the best of the bunch. The panel's highest score went to the Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne, at 82 per cent. The bottle of bubbly costs just £25 per bottle. It beat Moët & Chandon's Brut Imperial, which scored 77 per cent despite being almost double the price at £44 per bottle. Also scoring above the UK's leading champagne house is Aldi's Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Brut Champagne, which ranked at 80 per cent. The bottle is priced at £20. The panel liked its aroma of 'crunchy green apples with a suggestion of pecans, spice and butterscotch'. And Waitrose impressed with its Brut NV Champagne, which also scored 80 per cent. The bottle, priced at £25, has 'pleasing peach, pear and apple flavours, and a superb nut and winter spice taste'. Which? also tested sparkling wines, and uncovered some "brilliant" budget options. The cheapest of these, Lidl's Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene, scored 80 per cent. 'At £7.49 a bottle, this Great Value option is an excellent alternative to champagne, and perfect for Christmas parties,' the consumer group said.
Telegraph
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The death of the champagne flute – and what you should be sipping from instead
Maximilian Riedel has a mission: to rid the world of champagne flutes. 'My goal is to make them obsolete within my lifetime,' says the 11th-generation glassmaker from Austria. 'Champagne and sparkling wines deserve to be shown at their very best. A narrow flute does nothing for them.' He is not alone in the charge against the tall, slender vessel – or in his determination to see wine glasses replace them. With 70 per cent of our perception of flavour coming from aroma, Riedel argues, the more open shape, whether a traditional white wine glass, a tulip-shaped one or bigger burgundy glass, enables the wine to be appreciated fully. Acclaimed publican Heath Ball ditched 'hundreds of flutes' when he took over The Angel in Highgate, London, in November 2024 – though he has reluctantly held a few back 'because some people do like them and I hate to say no'. They should be 'outlawed' insists sommelier Sandia Chang, who founded the online grower-champagne shop Bubbleshop and runs the two-Michelin-starred Kitchen Table restaurant in the capital with her chef husband James Knappett. And there's not a flute in sight on the champagne trolley at the luxurious Grantley Hall near Ripon in North Yorkshire. Flutes have been the go-to glass for champagne ever since – so legend says, and Riedel reports – 18th-century Benedictine monk and abbey cellarman Dom Pérignon said he liked to 'watch the dance of the sparkling atoms' in a slim glass. As champagne became a drink associated with celebration, the flute contained a measured serving just right for a toast. But sparkling wine is increasingly appreciated as a versatile, food-friendly drink worthy of more than just chin-chin moments at weddings. 'We're seeing more and more people drink sparkling wine just as they would a still wine,' says Ball. 'And when you shift it from the flute [into a wine glass] it becomes more relaxed and more enjoyable. I'm all for that.' So if flutes are out, what should you pour your next glass of fizz into? A white wine glass 'All sparkling wines are better enjoyed in wine glasses rather than flutes,' argues Chang. 'Flutes may look pretty but it's almost impossible to appreciate the aromas of the wine without getting just bubbles up your nose.' And no, the flute's shape doesn't necessarily keep bubbles bubblier for longer: 'A well-made sparkling wine will not lose its bubbles during the time it takes to drink a glass,' she says. The bowl of a white wine glass allows aromas and flavours to develop, and acidity to become balanced. 'The wine looks good,' says Ball, 'it's better value for the customer, and more relaxed and contemporary.' It's more generous too. At The Angel, Ball will pour Château Palmer champagne or Australian lambrusco into an elegant wine glass as a 175ml serving, rather than the 125ml typically held in a flute. 'With flutes, you fill the glass, then two sips later it's all over. Where's the fun in that?' The universal shape of a white wine glass makes it a practical choice, a consideration even for a top sommelier like Isa Bal, co-owner with chef Jonny Lake of Trivet, the two-Michelin-star restaurant in Bermondsey. At home he keeps things simple – and saves space – with one set of glassware for all wines, including champagne: 'A white wine glass does the job perfectly,' says Bal. 'Leave it to restaurants and bars to have all those different glasses, and enjoy them when you're out.' Andrew McPherson, who oversees the wine programme at Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall restaurant, cuts to the chase: 'The less you spend on glassware, the more you can spend on champagne.' Who can argue with that? A tulip-shaped wine glass The narrower meeting point of bowl and stem in a tulip-shaped glass means bubbles are released gradually, its wider 'hips' allow oxygen to reach the liquid, and the tapered rim captures and concentrates aromas. ' Those aromas are such a key part of how the champagne is experienced, how it tastes,' says McPherson. Sommeliers steering the Grantley Hall trolley select subtly different-shaped glasses (most are German-made Zalto) for each champagne: it's a narrower one for Shaun Rankin's blanc de blanc because the wine's delicate, leaner notes don't require as much aeration to be enjoyed. A broader glass suits the richer Femme de Champagne by Duval-Leroy, while the Krug grand cuvée is poured into a glass the champagne house developed in collaboration with Riedel. 'It has a broad, almost diamond shape that allows more space for aromas to develop,' says McPherson. 'The base of the bowl comes to a point to aid the formation of bubbles, and the wider body allows you to swirl the wine, speeding up oxidation and revealing the flavour in a way not achieved by more narrow glasses.' Champagnes from Trivet's renowned wine list, which includes tiny-production grower champagnes such as Pierre Péters grand cru Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, are also poured into delicate tulip-shaped glasses, the better to appreciate the wine. A burgundy glass Older vintages, or full-bodied rosé champagnes with aromatic red-fruit notes, can benefit from a larger pinot noir glass. 'The intensity and complexity can require more interaction with oxygen,' says McPherson. 'They can also be best enjoyed at a slightly warmer temperature, making red wine glasses perfect. I was lucky enough to enjoy a glass of 1988 Cristal champagne, and in a red burgundy glass it opened up beautifully.' A coupe (but only for vintage vibes) Champagne can lose its bubbles and aroma quickly in a coupe or champagne saucer, but there's still vintage and photogenic charm in this wide, shallow glass, says Fran Cutler, renowned planner of many a society party: 'For a wedding or a special birthday toast, or when you just want people to feel more elegant, I love a coupe. There's something about the shape that's so timeless – the way you can cup it in your hands just feels glamorous. It has that charm that you don't get with flutes or wine glasses, making people feel sexy, inviting a bit of mischief to the occasion.' The style is forever associated with the Great Gatsby-esque flamboyance of the 1920s but the rumour that coupes were first modelled on Marie Antoinette's left breast is just that – a rumour – though they were popular during the 18th century. 'The coupe is playful,' says McPherson. 'You might not get the most technically from the champagne, but if [a coupe] brings the most enjoyment, then people shouldn't feel shy about asking for one. We always keep a few on the trolley just in case.' A tumbler (so long as its crystal) Small, chunky glasses should be avoided 'for any type of wine,' believes Cutler. 'That should be obvious, but I've seen it done, and it's a shame – and a bit wasteful, especially when you've invested in good champagne. Glassware should be selected to set the mood for a good time.' But is there a place for fizz in a tumbler? Riedel was recently spotted – on Instagram at least – splashing chilled Bruno Paillard champagne into one while on an Alpine hike. Needless to say, it was not a plastic beaker dredged from the back of the cupboard, but his own rather more elegant O to Go crystal glass tumbler. Some tips, before you reach for that wine glass… Don't Stick your fizz in the fridge. The bottle should be well chilled before opening (between 8-10C is ideal, according to Riedel, because if too cold the flavours are masked), but 30 minutes in a wine bucket filled with ice is better to achieve this quickly if you forgot to put it in the fridge. Do Try decanting champagne. The process can lessen foaming, help soften acidity and release flavour. Riedel calls it 'a revelation' especially with young bottles, though he doesn't recommend the process for older ones or champagnes with particularly delicate bubbles. Don't Fill the glass more than half- or two-thirds full. This gives space for aromas to develop and concentrate. Do Keep the wine glass flat on the table when pouring – if you've got the skills of a sommelier. 'The trick is to pour the champagne into the glass in one steady unbroken stream without the wine bubbling over the rim,' says Chang. The rest of us should adopt the 45-degree tilt and a slow pour to minimise foaming. 'Wet' the glass first with a little champagne to let bubbles settle before continuing to pour.
