You’re probably pouring Champagne wrong, says a master of wine

• Flutes are impractical and terrible for enjoying Champagne, said master sommelier Richard Hemming.
• The glasses became the standard because they are small and easy to use at large parties.
• Hemming said using a universal wine glass is the way to go for deeper Champagne appreciation.

If you’re sipping from Champagne flutes after popping the bottle, you’re likely enjoying your bubbly the globally spiked 14% from pre-COVID records, hitting a peak of $5.7 billion following a wave of post-pandemic celebrations, per industry group Union des Maisons de Champagne.

But in July, luxury giant LVMH — the world’s largest Champagne maker — reported a 15% drop in Champagne sales for the first half of 2024, compared to the previous year.

Jean-Jacques Guiony, CFO of LVMH, theorized that fewer people were popping bottles because of fewer celebrations in the wake of greater economic and geopolitical uncertainties.