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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Champagne: The Science Behind the Bubbles

More sparkling wine is purchased during this time of year than any other. Popping the cork on New Year's Eve is a well established tradition.

Thanks to the American Chemical Society's Bytesize Science video series we now know the bubbles that give Champagne its pop are just following Henry's Law. The video notes that more than 600 different chemical compounds join carbon dioxide in sparkling wine, helping to create the aroma and flavor.

Quoting a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the video also suggests the best way to pour a glass of Champagne to maximize the sensory experience is at an angle to retain up to twice as much carbon dioxide in the wine when compared to pouring down the middle of the glass.

2 comments:

Ruth said...

I will keep that in mind next time I pour champagne... although I usually do pour at an angle in any case.

Dusty said...

I feel the same way. The one exception is when I am pouring a beer that may be a little cold to produce the right amount of head. I will finish by pouring directly into the rest of the beer while shaking the bottle a little bit. This will usually get a good finger of head.