Buy champagne glasses

The holidays offer plenty of reasons to pop some bubbles, including reuniting with family and friends and toasting to the New Year. But if you’re raising a glass, make sure it’s a good glass.

“A glass affects a wine,” said Aldo Sohm, sommelier and wine director at New York’s Le Bernardin and Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, and brand ambassador for luxury glassware company Zalto. “It’s a bit like music, having one song and listening through two different speaker systems makes a huge difference.”

Champagne glasses come in a variety of shapes, from flutes to coupes, and some have colors and embellishments. Fortunately, there are no wrong choices. Fun, inexpensive glasses can be ideal for casual get-togethers with mid-range wines. However, a special bottle is best appreciated with special glassware.

“You can drink from a paper cup, which costs five cents, or you can drink from a Zalto champagne glass, which costs $60. The question is, what are you looking for?” said Mr. Sohm.

At the end of the day, he added, “The best glass is the one you want to drink from.”

Is a flute the best shape to drink champagne? Compared to a coupe, a flute holds more bubbles, Mr. Sohm said, but it’s also like “putting the champagne in a corset.” When he drinks a vintage champagne from a small producer, he says, he often prefers a wider universal wine glass.
Are stemless glasses acceptable? They’re good for casual events like picnics, Mr. Sohm said, but they also have a downside: “You heat up the champagne really quickly, and champagne is super sensitive when it comes to temperature.”
Do champagne glasses have to be clear or colored? Purists usually prefer clear glass so they can see the wine, but color can add some fun. As Mr. Sohm noted, “It can be beautiful to one who likes it.”