How to Hold a Champagne Glass

Why does properly holding your Champagne glass matter? Temperature! The warmth from your fingers will warm your wine, and you want to enjoy your Champagne chilled. The proper temperature for Champagne to be served at is between 46°F and 54°F, depending on the type of Champagne. If your fingers warm the wine too much, the Champagne simply won’t taste as delicious, and the bubbles can disappear more quickly. When you’re drinking one of the best Champagne brands, you definitely don’t want to warm up your Champagne unintentionally. 

Here, I’ll share the different ways of properly holding a Champagne glass so you can enjoy your bubbles until the last drop. 

How to Hold a Champagne Glass

No matter whether you’re using a tulip glass, flute, coupe glass, or a regular wine glass, there are two proper ways to hold a Champagne glass, and one I don’t recommend. A Champagne glass is made up of several parts: the base, stem, and bowl. Champagne coupe glasses have wider bowls, while Champagne flutes have long, narrow bowls. A tulip glass has a tapered base, a wider bowl, and a narrow top.

By the Stem

Holding a Champagne glass by the stem is my recommended way of holding your drink. Simply pinch the stem between three fingers. You’ll have a secure grasp on your glass, and your fingers will stay far away from the chilled Champagne. This means your Champagne will stay cold for longer, which is the point of holding a Champagne glass properly. 

By the Base

Some people prefer to hold a Champagne glass by the base of the glass. This method keeps your Champagne cold because your fingers aren’t touching the bowl containing the Champagne, but I don’t find it to be as secure as holding your glass by the stem. It does, however, look quite fancy, so feel free to hold your glass by the base if you prefer. Place your thumb on top of the base and your other fingers on the bottom. This will give you the best possible grip while you are holding the glass. If you’re in a crowded space where people might bump into you, it’s best to hold it by the stem, which is more secure. 

By the Bowl

Most people hold their Champagne and wine glasses by the bowl, which is the quickest way to unintentionally warm your wine. Over time, your fingers will gradually heat the wine, and warm Champagne does not taste great. Holding your glass by the bowl also leaves fingerprints all over the glass, which is another reason why I don’t recommend holding your glass by the bowl. 

The only exception? If your Champagne is a bit too cold, you can wrap your hands around the bowl for a minute or so to warm it up slightly, but that’s not a great way to experience your drink. 

Now that you know how to hold a Champagne glass properly, be sure to explore our Champagne encyclopedia to find your next bottle of bubbly. If you don’t know how to open a bottle of Champagne, check out this video. Or if you want to saber a Champagne bottle, we’ve got you covered here. 

Cheers!

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