J-Line Louise

Eighteen centilitres is on the modest side for a flute, and that is an advantage. You fill a glass like this to about two thirds, so around twelve centilitres, and the champagne is finished before it turns lukewarm. If you would rather pour once and keep talking, a roomier bowl suits you better. The choice between clear and mint is purely visual: clear glass shows the colour of the wine, mint lays a green haze over it that works better with a blanc de blancs than with a rosé. Count on two glasses per guest for a toast with a top-up.

Chill the bottle to about six degrees and hold the glass by the stem, because a warm hand in the bowl costs you bubbles within a minute. Pour in two goes: first a little against the wall, wait for the foam to settle, then top up. Louise also works for cocktails based on sparkling wine, such as a Kir Royal with cassis or a Mimosa with freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast.

Louise is pressed soda-lime glass and contains no lead, so there is no need to wash by hand. Place the flutes upright and separately in the dishwasher rack, because a long narrow bowl leaning against its neighbour breaks at the stem. The mint colour sits in the glass itself and does not change with hot water. Polish the bowl afterwards with linen to remove water streaks.

If you are after a wider overview of the same brand, take a look at the J-Line collection. To compare with other models in the same shape, they are under champagne flutes, and for the wide low version under champagne coupes. If you stay with the colour, the coloured glasses offer more choice. Keep the bottle at temperature with a champagne cooler next to the table.