Ideal Wine Company blog articles: W/C 21st November 2016

1. Ideal Wine Company Articles WC 21st
November 2016
Flutes Vs Coupes: Which Glass Is Better For Champagne?
Withthe holidayseasonrightaroundthe corner,youmightwanttostart stockingup onChampagne.
To give your guestshave a fabuloustime thisyear,youmight wantto ensure youhave the right kind
of glassesforyourtop Champagne.Ideal Wine Company debates flutes vs. coupes for Champagne.
Shape really matters
The way you serve wine has a serious impact on the drinking experience. When serving wine, for
example,youshouldconsiderhowmuchtopour.Youshould ideally haveenoughroominthe glassto
swirl the drink,unlockingitscomplex flavours,soawine glass “should be no more than a third full.”
Eventhe shape of a glassmatters. Researchfromthe Universityof Tokyoindicates that wine glasses
act as a filter,wipingawayethanol tomaximiseflavour,soyoucanenjoythe richaromasandflavours
of your favourite vintage. Different shapes work for different types of drinks. You would need a
standardwine glassforreds,for example,butthiswouldneverworkfor somethinglikeChampagne.
Flutes vs. coupes
When you serve Champagne, you are dealing with a carbonated product. Experts believe that you
need a type of glass that will encourage the flow of bubbles, as well as maximise flavours, to truly
appreciate aChampagne.Thisiswhyinmoderntimes,manypeopledrinkChampagneinatall,narrow
bowl glass called a flute, which you can hold by the stem, so you don’t warm it with your hands.
However, Glassof Bubblywrites,there are advantagesto usinga Champagne coupe instead.Coupes
are shorter and wider-brimmed than flutes and can also be held at the stem, meaning that the
drinker’sbodyheatdoesn’talterthe nature of theChampagne.Theywere thefirststyle of glassmade
specificallyforChampagne andare nowoftenassociatedwiththe goldeneraof Hollywoodglamour.
Flutesare popularamongthose wholike bubblyChampagne.Coupesare favouredamongthose who
are interested in the full body and flavour of the product,instead of just its bubbles.This is because
the widerbrimof a coupe allowsthe Champagne greaterexposure toair,meaningthatithas a fuller
taste. The glass that’s right for you, really depends on what you’re looking for from Champagne.
Try them out
There are pros and cons to flutes and coupes, so test out both before choosing how to serve your
Champagne thisholidayseason.Toensure yourguestshave afabuloustime,make sure thatyouhave
wonderful Champagnetoserve ineitherflutesorcoupes.BrowseIdealWine Company’s Champagnes
list, which features noted brands like Dom Perignon, to find your perfect tipple this Christmas.
Four Great Wine Books For Beginners
Youshouldstrive toamassasmuchknowledge asyoucan,beforeyou startawine collection.Youmay
want to buy a wine bookfor beginners,tohelpyoulearnmore about the product, as well as howto
store it.Here Ideal Wine Companylistsfiveof the bestwinebooksforbeginners youmaywanttobuy.
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide To Wine
Wine Folly isa fantasticresource forwine enthusiasts,with informationoneverythingfrom varietals
to glassware. Itrecentlyreleasedthe 233 page Essential Guide to Wine book,whichretails at US$25.

2. It coverstopicslike wine regions,creatingtastingprofiles,storingbottlesandfoodpairings.The book
also includes “flavour wheels” for every type of varietal, enhancing your understanding of wine.
Wine Bible
If you want a longread, buy the 2nd editionof Karen MacNeil’s definitive WineBible, whichshe has
now released after 15 years. Retailing at US$24.95, this 968 page tome features detailedsections of
manyof the world’stopwine regions,rangingfromwell-knownareaslike Burgundy,toobscure ones
like the Republicof Georgia.Thisisa greatbook if you’re lookingtobuildupyourcollectionortake a
wine holiday, as it can provide you with a range of niche varietals and destinations to read about.
Scratch and sniff
It iskeythat you developakeensense of smell tobecome awine connoisseur,soyoucanappreciate
the rich aromas of wine. Learn more on this subject with Master Sommelier Richard Betts’ The
EssentialScratch and Sniff Guideto Becoming a WineExpert.Inthissimple 22page book,whichretails
at US$19.99, you’ll find great summaries of the most important areas of wine.This is a book for the
comedyenthusiastsamongyou,asitssilly,butstillconveysthe core areasof wine tastingeffectively.
Complete wine course
You maywantto create yourown wine tastings,soyoucangainsome more practical experiencewith
wine.You may want to thinkabout purchasingKevinZraly’s333 page Windowson the World, which
retailsatUS$27.95. Toutedas a “terrificcompanionforself-study,”thistomehas chaptersforspecific
themes e.g. white wines of France, supplying you with the knowledge to hold your own tastings.
Find more resources
Before youbuya book,youmaywantto start bylookingatthe resourcesforbeginnersonIdeal Wine
Company’s website. On the Glossary Page you’ll find simple explanations of keywine terms, such as
‘decanting’and‘cuvee.’Withthisinformation,you’llbe able tounderstandwhatthe authorsof these
booksare saying,soyou can use their wisdom to help you start building your own wine collection!