Ring vortex scenario in engraved champagne glasses

Abstract

The simple idea this study rests on is that one cannot be concerned by the bubbling and aromatic exhalation events in champagne tasting without being interested in the study of the flow mixing mechanisms inside the glass. Indeed, a key assumption is that a strong link of causality may exist between inherent liquid-phase flow structures due to bubble motion and the flavors exhalation process. This is the reason why, to underscore the impact of glass-shape and glass-engravement conditions on mixing flow phenomena, classical flow visualization techniques were used to capture fluid motion in traditional flutes and coupes poured with champagne. Laser tomography combined with fluorescent dyes and solid tracers have been used to give the quasi-instantaneous velocity field from which streamline patterns are deduced as well as the vorticity convection.