For two centuries, Champagne’s foil hat has gone from cover-up to marketing must-have, even making its way into EU law. This week, after two years of wrangling, the Comité finally dropped its resistance. English sparkling wine has had that freedom for months, but from what I’ve seen, most bottles are still buttoned up.

From Cover-Up to Couture. To Cancelled?

Ever wondered why Champagne bottles (and English sparkling wine!) wear those shiny little hats of foil? This was the question posed on a tour at Hattingley, and I suggested that it was part of the grand ritual of popping a bottle. That might be a benefit now, but it wasn’t the original reason at least. Back in the 1800s, the foil was there to hide underfilled bottles and stop mice from nibbling at the string that tied down the cork. Less “couture fashion,” more “DIY mouse guard.” The neck foil lingered and has become a key part of Champagne’s style, inspiring everything from Belle Époque posters to modern artist bottles.

For a few decades, you literally couldn’t sell Champagne without it. The EU made foils mandatory in 1999, officially for hygiene reasons but also, let’s be honest, because Champagne houses were fiercely protective of their uniform. The bottle wasn’t just packaging; it was theatre. The glint of foil, the ritual of peeling it back - it was all part of the pop.

Then came 2023, and a quiet shakeup. Under pressure for sustainability, EU regulators decided that foils on sparkling wine were no longer mandatory. In Champagne, the Comité pushed back, arguing the capsule was part of the region’s image and heritage. But with Brussels unmoved, and consumer surveys showing little impact on the perception of Champagne’s value, the resistance faded. Two years later, the Comité finally dropped its objection. Foil is now optional, even in the birthplace of the tradition.

England Quietly Undresses

In the UK sparkling wine producers have been legally free to ditch foils since January 2024. The option to go ‘bare’ was touted as saving 10 to 50 pence a bottle, but I can’t actually recall seeing any naked bottles of English fizz on shelves or at cellar doors yet. Maybe they’re coming, maybe the producers like the bit of drama a foil still adds, or maybe I haven’t been paying attention.

Back in France the Champagne Houses aren’t exactly short of opinions on the matter. Some see foil as untouchable: part of the ritual and identity. Others think the future is sans film. Ludovic du Plessis of Telmont went as far as declaring: “The best way is naked!” - which tells you everything about the passion this tiny scrap of aluminium inspires.

There is of course an environmental angle to all of this. Foils are a blend of aluminium and plastic that are almost never recycled. Champagne’s governing body says they account for just 0.6% of the region’s carbon footprint and any impact would only be symbolic.

Foil or No Foil?

Where does that leave us, the drinkers? On the one hand, peeling foil has always been part of the theatre of opening a bottle, a delightful way to build anticipation before the release of the wire cage and the pop, that release of anticipation that lets you know a filled glass is mere moments away. On the other, is there an argument to be made that there’s something refreshing about the stripped-back look? Sparkling wine in a clean white T-shirt instead of a dinner jacket, less ceremony, same sparkle?

So next time you pick up a bottle of fizz, maybe linger over the neck a little longer than usual. Consider the history of the humble foil: from covering up for unfilled bottles, to a sign of chic sophistication, and now, at last, bending to the modern world. And when you do find a naked bottle of English sparkling? Raise a glass. The future may be foilless, but the pop might feel just as good.