Flutes may look beautiful, but they're not the best way to serve Champagne.
- Contrary to popular belief, if you're popping your Champagne bottles, you're actually doing it wrong.
- And while flutes may look beautiful, the narrow shape is not the optimal glass shape for the bubbly drink.
- Instead, control the cork as it comes out and look for glassware that resembles a white wine glass with a narrower opening, suggests Joey Kleinhans, Managing Director of Sommelier Capital Advisors.
Even though movies and TV shows frequently feature characters popping Champagne bottles and sipping bubbly from slender flutes, they're actually going about it the wrong way - and there's a good chance you are, too.
In fact, those are both common serving mistakes with simple solutions, according to Joey Kleinhans, Managing Director of Sommelier Capital Advisors.
For starters, said Kleinhans, "allowing the cork to loudly pop is the worst mistake, as it releases the pressure too fast and thereby curtails the bubble flow."
Instead, Kleinhans said the best way to open a bottle is by controlling the cork as it comes out. And, he added, the bottle should be angled so that all you can hear is a quiet hiss.
Read more: The best bottle of wine to bring to any holiday party
This New Year's Eve, skip the Champagne flutes. Instead, look for a glass that resembles a white wine glass with a narrower opening.
When it comes to serving Champagne, Kleinhans said that appearance isn't everything, noting, "Flutes are not appropriate because they only focus on visually highlighting the bubbles, but they don't allow good smelling of the wine."
A better choice is a glass that looks like a white wine glass "but come[s] together more strongly towards the rim," like the one pictured.
If you're used to serving Champagne out of a flute, though, you're not alone, and it's not the only popular glass shape that experts recommend against. In fact, as Business Insider's Alison Millington previously reported, the old-fashioned coupe is also a poor serving choice because "the wide, flat shape of the glass - made popular in the 1920s - means your Champagne will lose its bubbles fast."
And, when it comes to selecting what type of Champagne you're serving at your party, Kleinhans suggests matching the quality of your bottle to the appreciation level of your audience. Champagne bottles can range from $15 to $500, he noted, and failing to be occasion-appropriate is a standard mistake.
If that still doesn't help narrow it down enough for you, take a look at the list of the top 10 best-selling Champagne brands in the world for some inspiration.