Glass Countertops and Champagne Bubbles…an Interesting Comparison.

Last updated on March 15th, 2024 at 05:49 pm

Recently, the New Year approached and my search for a nice bottle of champagne to celebrate the occasion was underway.  I was struck by how Champagners enthusiastically describe the structure of their Champagne bubbles when poured into a flute…in addition to their other flamboyant tasting notes. I think that there is a universal fascination with bubbles evolving in glasses…as it is always interesting to see the quantity and shape of the air bubbles that appear inside the layers of our custom glass countertops.

Textured glass countertops are made by hand, with deep textures carved in the sand bed of our kilns that create a pathway for the internal bubble formation.  ½” low iron glass is stacked to whatever thickness is desired ( 1.5” thick is standard and we can fuse to 4″ ).

We do not work in a vacuum, and in between each layer is an opportunity for air bubbles to form @ 1400+ degree fusing temperatures. These air pockets are trapped during the glass fusing process and can also be seen in very old glass bottles and windows. Art glass almost always contains bubbles, which can add to its appeal and value among collectors.

These bubbles are fascinating because they create a spatial depth that when illuminated creates a real sense of depth and motion. Like champagne, our bubbles are created in all sizes and shapes. Our bubbles are not in our control, but very beautiful to observe. (We have gone so far as to “no bid” a project for a gentleman who said that the bubbles were in fact a defect!

Glass countertops bubbles

How the bubbles form and their distribution is typically a function of the texture itself i.e. they form along the very deep lines of our textures that we create. I dare say that our textured glass countertops are more deeply textured than any available on the market. If you think about how the glass flows as the layers of ½” glass is thermally fused, you can begin to understand how those bubbles form along those lines.

Emile Gallé, one of the most prominent figures in the Art Nouveau movement and an expert on all the technical possibilities of glass, created subtle “talking” glassware and illustrated this decoration with the words: “La pluie au bassin fait des bulles.” (The rain in the pond makes bubbles.)  Saverglass.com

When poured into a glass, carbonated drinks don’t all fizz the same way. Sparkling water creates a firework-like display of popping bubbles, bursting forth across the entire surface of a glass. Beer has bubbles that start in a line but quickly spread outwards to clump in seemingly random, rising patterns.

But champagne is elegant. It creates a smattering of bubbles that drift upwards in clean straight lines, almost as though they were getting pumped onto a conveyor belt by some invisible factory at the bottom of the flute. Sciencealert.com

While we are having a little fun with this blog topic, we decided to show you a few of our favorite passages from various champagne makers:

“full of charm, dynamic effervescence with a continuous stream of fine bubbles.”

“ A charming wine with moderate but firm bubbles and structured and tightly wound, with almost imperceptible bubbles. Beautiful. 

 “Pale gold in color, with an abundance of delicate bubbles.”

“Overriding citrus character and quite amazingly long, a mouthful tingling on the palate for minutes not seconds. Enormous finesse. Massive pleasure. 

“Reveals racy acidity that sculpts fine definition, allowing the detailed profile to expand on the palate.” 

Naturally the more elegant the articulation, the higher the price. If you care to sample our bubbles in our beautiful Glass Design Center in Tampa for your own “taste test”, we are happy to set a time. Our bubbles are free…

Jeff Downing   (813 ) 784 5211