Etiquette for Champagne Stemware

Know your champagne and sparkling wine glasses. 

– Photo source Pinterest, from Wine Folly

Properly Holding Stemware with Champagne and Other Cold or Chilled Beverages 

Champagne and other chilled beverages are more easily kept cold when served in stemware. Held properly, by the glass’s stem as shown below, the beverage doesn't need to be diluted with melting ice, as the body's heat won't transfer to the drink through the stem. The beverage appears more elegant, as does the person drinking the beverage out of the stemware, as opposed to drinking from a glass tumbler. 

At informal parties when cold beverages or chilled champagne are served in trendy, stemless glasses, guests should be able to keep their hands dry, especially as their drinks are slowly warming. The host or hostess should provide plenty of cocktail napkins for condensation that accumulates on the outside of the glass.

No napkin is required (though it is always best to offer one to each guest, especially for catching drips, etc...) when glasses with stems are being used, unless one is eating, as well.

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia