Love yourself some bubbly? You don’t have to spend champagne dollars to get incredible Champagne taste.
Some one million bubbles form in the average glass of Champagne. Bubbles make Champagne look sexy and taste better. They begin life in the bottle as dissolved air, but after the cork is popped, carbon dioxide (CO₂) enters the microscopic pouches of air created by flecks, specks and imperfections on the inside of the glass and little bubbles are born. As more CO₂ arrives, the bubbles expand and rise. On its journey upwards, a bubble gets faster and fatter. As it rises, it hauls liquid with it to the top before dropping it down the sides of the glass, creating a visually pleasing “fountain”.
The debate over the size of the bubbles and their indication of quality has been back and forth for decades. Scientists based in the heart of France’s Champagne-Ardenne region have found that larger bubbles may actually improve the way sparkling wine tastes. The most recent studies suggest that bubbles the size of those found in cheaper Cava and Prosecco sparkling wines lend themselves better to maximizing Champagne’s delicate flavors than those in more expensive Champagnes.
Tilting a glass when pouring sparkling wines can also help prevent it from overflowing and drinking from a flute rather than a wider wine glass can help to enhance the flavor due to the way the bubbles mix in a glass.
No matter your preferred champagne taste, the key to a perfect glass of bubbly is a steady stream of tiny bubbles rising to the surface to gently tickle your lips. Cheers!