sabler le Champagne

Context

The expression is recorded by the Union des Maisons de Champagne in its pages on tasting.¹ It describes a way of drinking, not a technique of opening the bottle. Opening and serving are covered separately in opening a bottle and pouring.

Tasting itself is slower: UMC describes the effervescence, the mousse and the collerette of bubbles as things to observe in the glass.² Glass choice: glasses.

The glass matters too: UMC regards the tulip glass, an egg-shaped bowl narrowing at the top, as today's standard, and the coupe as poor because the bouquet escapes and the mousse does not develop.³