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   Scientific American June 2015

The Physics of Champagne

   A million mesmerizing bubbles rise from a glass of sparkling wine.
   Scientists believe they now understand how these tiny bits of fizz are
   born, take flight and burst in a nose-tickling spray
     * By Gérard Liger-Belair

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   Pop open a bottle of champagne and pour yourself a glass. Take a sip.
   The elegant surface fizz—a boiling fumarole of rising and collapsing
   bubbles—launches thousands of golden droplets into the air, conveying
   the wine's enticing flavors and aromas to tongue and nostrils alike. A
   percussive symphony of diminutive pops accompanies the tasty mouthful,
   juxtaposing a refreshing carbonated chill and a comforting alcoholic
   warmth. Such is the enchantment of bubbly, the classic sparkling wine
   of northeastern France's Champagne district, a libation that has become
   a fixture at festive celebrations worldwide. Among the hallmarks of a
   good champagne are multiple bubble trains rising in lines from the
   sides of a poured glass like so many tiny hot-air balloons. When they
   reach the surface, the bubbles form a ring, the so-called collerette,
   at the top of a filled flute. Although no scientific evidence
   correlates the quality of a champagne with the fineness of its bubbles,
   people nonetheless often connect the two. Because ensuring the
   traditional effervescent personality of champagne is big business, it
   has become important for vintners of sparkling wines to achieve the
   perfect petite bubble. More than a decade ago several research
   colleagues from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne and Moët &
   Chandon and I decided to examine the behavior of bubbles in carbonated
   beverages. Our goal was to elucidate the roles of each of the many
   parameters that come into play in bubbling. Close observations of
   glasses filled with sparkling wine, beer and soda revealed their
   visually appealing outgassing to be surprisingly complex. In the years
   since, we have learned a great deal about the three main phases of a
   bubble's life: its birth, ascent and dramatic demise.

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   More in the June 2015 issue of Scientific American
     * Is Food Addiction Making Us Fat?
     * Time Line: The Amazing Multimillion-Year History of Processed Food
     * The Science of a Perfect Cup of Coffee

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   Neuroscience. Evolution. Health. Chemistry. Physics. Technology.
   Subscribe Now! Every Issue. Every Year. 1845 - Present The Physics of
   ChampagneA million mesmerizing bubbles rise from a glass of sparkling
   wine. Scientists believe they now understand how these tiny bits of
   fizz are born, take flight and burst in a nose-tickling spray

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