To Pour or Not to Pour

Posted: February 3, 2009

New York City-Of all the questions asked by sommeliers, perhaps the least heard is, "Shall I decant your Champagne?" Back in the day-way back, the 1700s-Champagne was always decanted to separate the yeast lees from the wine, but modern Champagne-making methods have made that unnecessary, and so decanting the famous fizz has become a lost art. Now Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Riedel Crystal have teamed up to restore the tradition.

Together they've designed a new lyre-shaped decanter, specifically to bring out the best in fine Champagne. Why decant? "Fridge temperature is too cold for a top Champagne," says Heidsieck's chef de cave Règis Camus, "so 10 to 30 minutes' decanting allows it to warm a little. Also the aeration brings out the nuances and richness of the wine, just as it does for great still wines." But what happens to the bubbles? Fear not, says Maximilian Riedel, North American CEO of his family company. "The decanter's curved opening means the Champagne won't splash too much, so it will keep its effervescence. And the vessel's shape means the Champagne is not spread too thin, so it preserves the mousse."

The decanters are handmade and mouth-blown without a mold, making each one a unique piece, and they fit snuggly inside an ice bucket. They're being offered in a lacquered wood and leather-lined bo xset, together with a bottle of Charles Heidsieck 1995 Blanc des Millenaires, for a suggested retail price of $600.

And while you're being iconoclastic with a Champagne decanter, why not also revisit your Champagne stemware? Both experts say you should. "A white wine glass that you'd normally use to serve Riesling or Chardonnay is much better for Champagne than a flute," says Riedel, "because, like the decanter, it gives the wine more air time." "A bigger glass makes the Champagne rounder and more expressive," agrees Camus. "We never use flutes to drink our own wine." -Martin Gillam