Champagne coupe glasses

The size decides what you use it for. A coupe of 16 to 22 cl is the cocktail size: a shaken or stirred drink of around twelve centilitres sits nicely full in it and does not slosh over when you pick it up. A coupe of 26 to 33 cl is the champagne size, and you fill that no more than halfway so there is room left for the aroma. If you want to build a champagne tower, choose a model with a wide, flat foot and a sturdy stem, because only then do the glasses stand stably on one another.

Then look at the rim. A rim that turns slightly inwards keeps the liquid in better and carries a garnish, while a fully open coupe looks more elegant but spills sooner. Pay attention to stem thickness as well. Lehmann makes thin, refined stems in series such as Paris, London and Roma that impress on the table, while Onis and Arcoroc are sturdier and last longer behind a busy bar.

Chill the coupe beforehand, because the shape works against you: the wide surface warms up quickly. Five minutes in the freezer, or a minute with ice and water in it, is enough. Pour champagne along the wall rather than into the middle, so you keep more bubbles and it does not foam over the rim.

Always carry a coupe by the stem, never by the bowl, and keep it level: this shape forgives no careless movement. For cocktails the coupe has become the standard for everything served without ice. A champagne cocktail with a sugar cube and bitters belongs in it, as does a french 75 with gin, lemon and champagne. With a champagne tower you fill only the top glass and let the rest fill by itself, calmly and in one go.

A coupe is top-heavy and you notice that above all in the cupboard and in the dishwasher basket. The bowl is wide, the foot small, and the glass topples the moment you set it down at an angle. So store coupes upright with space between the rims, and never let the bowls touch each other in the machine.

The wide rim is the most vulnerable part. A small chip is felt immediately with your lips, so take damaged glasses out of circulation. Lead-free crystal glass may go on a short glass programme, but turns dull from too much rinse aid and from hard water. Polish afterwards with a lint-free cloth while the glass is still lukewarm, because then no streaks are left on that large surface.

If you are after another shape for bubbles, it is right next door. The slender champagne flutes hold on to the carbon dioxide much longer, and the complete overview is under the champagne glasses. For cocktails without ice there are also the smaller coupette glasses and the Nick and Nora glasses, which spill less easily. To keep the bottle cold while serving, look at the champagne coolers. And the tools for stirring, measuring and straining sit together with the mixing glasses under the bar spoons, where you will also find the fine strainers you need for a shaken cocktail.