Why would one glass of Champagne not be as effervescent as another? It could be to do with the cleanliness of the glass, says our expert.

Claire Foster, Hampshire, asks: We recently opened a bottle of Champagne Doyard, Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2007 that we’d cellared, having brought it back from a visit to the vineyard some years ago. The first glass was far less bubbly than the second, and we were both stumped as to how or why.

Doyard is an excellent producer of very fine blanc de blancs from top Vertus vineyards.

The probable cause for this discrepancy between the two glasses is that one of them was not perfectly clean and/or had a residue of soapiness.

This has a marked negative effect on the mousse. Perhaps the second glass was washed in the dishwasher?

With really fine wine, particularly Champagne, it is preferable to handwash your glasses, then rinse thoroughly with water before drying and polishing with a clean, dry tea towel.

This question first appeared in the July 2018 issue of Decanter magazine. Read more Decanter magazine articles online here.

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Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards
Decanter Premium, Decanter Magazine, Champagne Expert and DWWA 2018 Judge

Michael Edwards trained in Law, reading for the Bar at Gray’s Inn, London. In 1968, he joined Laytons, and while living in France in the 1970s represented fine estates in Burgundy and Alsace .

He has also been a chief inspector of the Egon Ronay restaurant Guide. A freelance writer for 30 years, he has specialised in Champagne, in 2010 winning the Roederer Wine Book of the Year for The Finest Wines of Champagne.

He became the first non-Champenois to be admitted order of Confrère St Vincent de Vertus. He’s researching a new book on Champagne and other great sparkling wines.

Michael Edwards was first a DWWA judge in 2004 and was most recently a judge at the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).