Gérard Liger-Belair, the man who unravels the mysteries of bubbles
At first glance, they seem like nothing more than a minor detail: a sparkling column in a glass, an almost hypnotic ripple on the surface. And yet, it is the bubbles that make champagne so unique. For over twenty-five years, the physicist Gérard Liger-Belair has made them the focus of his scientific research, to the point where he has become a world-renowned authority on the subject.
We are delighted to be able to draw on his scientific expertise and advice in organising high-calibre talks for the Sparkling Wine Forum, the fourth edition of which will take place in Reims on 19 May.
A vocation born of chance
“I’m the first to be surprised that it’s lasted this long,” he says with a smile. In the late 1990s, he hadn’t planned on a career in the champagne industry. He was simply looking for a topic for his thesis in physical chemistry.
But another passion came into the picture: photography. He then began taking close-up shots of the bubbles in fizzy drinks. Not for science, at least not yet. “At first, it was purely aesthetic. I wanted to see how the bubbles and foam formed, and what was happening on the surface.”
In his bathroom, which he had turned into a makeshift darkroom, he developed his film photographs. For months on end, he accumulated images. Until the moment he decided to give this visual fascination a scientific dimension. He sent his work to several major companies, including Moët & Chandon and Coca-Cola.
Only the Champagne house replied. Intrigued, she invited him to Épernay in 1997. To her surprise, despite their expertise, no one there had actually studied the formation of bubbles. On their recommendation, Gérard Liger-Belair began a PhD at the University of Reims in partnership with Moët & Chandon and Champagne Pommery in 1998. “I thought I’d be working on the subject for three years… but it was completely uncharted territory. Every answer raised new questions.”
He’ll never really get out of it.
The bubble: where aesthetics meet science
The reason bubbles are so fascinating is that they speak to everyone. “We’ve all blown bubbles as children. We’ve all drunk fizzy drinks. There’s something deeply universal about them.”
This almost instinctive aspect of the phenomenon led him to encounter perspectives other than that of a physicist. During one of his lectures, he met the psychologist Édouard Zarifian, who was also intrigued by the evocative power of bubbles. This encounter gave rise to an unexpected collaboration: the two men co-wrote the book Bulles de Champagne, exploring both the scientific and sensory dimensions of effervescence.
Behind this apparent simplicity, however, lies a remarkable degree of physical complexity. For a long time, scientists have focused on foams and fluids, but rarely on bubbles in drinks. This is a blind spot that the researcher intends to explore in depth.
And very quickly, he realises that these bubbles are not just a spectacle.
A key aspect of wine tasting
In a glass of champagne, it all begins on the surface. The bubbles form on tiny irregularities — often invisible fibres left behind by a cloth. They then rise, trapping not only the dissolved carbon dioxide but also aromatic compounds.
As they rise to the surface, they burst, releasing these aromas into the air. “This is what gradually shapes the wine’s bouquet.”
Champagne thus becomes a complete sensory experience: visual, olfactory and gustatory. Without its effervescence, it would be just another white wine. Its bubbles give it an almost living, dynamic quality that is quite unique.
The myth of fine bubbles
In the popular imagination, fine bubbles are synonymous with quality. This is a view that science strongly challenges.
“That’s largely untrue.” The size of the bubbles depends primarily on the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine. However, this amount decreases as the wine ages.
The longer a champagne is left in the cellar, the more CO₂ it loses… and the finer its bubbles become. “It is therefore more an indicator of age than of quality.”
A conclusion that challenges conventional wisdom, but which perfectly illustrates the physicochemical reality of wine. “Whether we like it or not, there is a purely scientific aspect to every tasting of sparkling wines.”
The crucial role of glass and the importance of the gesture
Another common misconception debunked: effervescence depends not only on the wine, but also on the glass
Without micro-impurities, bubbles would hardly form at all. Micro-lesions can be created by wiping a glass with a cloth, the fibres of which will coat the sides, helping bubbles to form. And the shape of the glass plays a decisive role in the perception of aromas. “We realised that more volume and more space were needed for the aromas to develop.”
So goodbye to the slender flutes that have long been synonymous with champagne. In upmarket establishments, they have been replaced by wider glasses, similar to those used for white wines.
A minor revolution.
The way it is served makes all the difference, too. When poured, the champagne is subjected to turbulence that causes a loss of CO₂. “Any gas lost at that moment will no longer contribute to the effervescence.”
To minimise this, there is a simple solution: tilt the glass, as you would with beer. This gesture, long considered heretical in a highly codified world, is now gradually becoming the norm: “you gain several minutes of effervescence in the glass.”
Science serving an entire industry
Gérard Liger-Belair’s work is not limited to champagne. Very quickly, other industries took an interest: sparkling water, beer and soft drinks.
He has collaborated with brands such as Badoit, the Diageo group and Coca-Cola. The questions remain the same: can we adjust the bubbles to influence the sensory experience?
The answer is yes. “The more dissolved CO₂, the more numerous and larger the bubbles will be. It’s chemistry, in its simplest form.”
Between science and tradition
Introducing scientific rigour into a world as deeply rooted in culture as that of champagne has not always been straightforward. “At first, some people were concerned to see a physicist taking an interest in their trade.”
It took time, patience, and sometimes a struggle to overcome ingrained habits. But the results eventually won the day. This was particularly evident in specific cases such as old vintages, which are particularly sensitive to CO₂ loss and therefore require special care when served.
Today, science and tradition coexist more harmoniously.
The Sparkling Wine Boom
Over the past twenty years or so, international interest in sparkling wines has continued to grow, driven by the rise of Prosecco, which is still evolving. Today, Prosecco volumes have increased four- or fivefold in twenty years thanks to its affordability.
At present, demand is booming outside Champagne. “Every region in the world that produces sparkling wines using the traditional Champagne method or other methods is taking an interest in their bubbles.”
It is a market that is even attracting the soft drinks industry, including Coca-Cola, which has sought the analysis and expertise of Gérard Liger-Belair on the science of bubbles.
Endless visual discoveries
About ten years ago, Gérard Liger-Belair and his team turned their attention to the popping champagne cork, a visual phenomenon deeply rooted in the collective imagination.
“When the bottle is uncorked, a scientific process takes place that allows the gas to condense and take on absolutely incredible shapes.”
Proving that this subject continues to offer wonderful sights to behold.
The emotions conveyed by bubbles
“I’m a very visual person, and what never ceases to amaze me is the visual and aesthetic aspect of the bubble.” At the start of his career, Gérard Liger-Belair didn’t have the resources to photograph the exact moment the bubble bursts. Now that he has the necessary tools, this spectacle represents a moment of pure beauty in his eyes. “You don’t even need to be a scientist to feel moved by these breathtaking images.”
Il réalise de nombreuses expositions photographiques et selon lui, ce côté plus artistique de la bulle permet de toucher plus de monde en dehors de la communauté scientifique. « C’est une imagerie du champagne et des boissons gazeuses qui est totalement phénoménale, c’est là que je ressens mes émotions les plus fortes. »
The fascination with bubbles
“We all have memories associated with bubbles, and as soon as we start recalling our childhood memories, we feel touched and moved. For example, a champagne tasting speaks to the child within us.”
Gérard Liger-Belair recalls that as a child, when he saw his parents drinking wine, still wines held no interest for him whatsoever, whereas sparkling wines sparked a real curiosity in him.
The mystery remains
Despite decades of research, not everything has been explained yet. The subtle interactions between bubbles, aromas and sensory perception remain partly a mystery.
And perhaps that is what makes the subject so fascinating. For ultimately, the bubble transcends mere physics. It touches on emotion, memory and a form of universal poetry.
“Science can explain many things,” he concludes. “But there will always remain an element of mystery, given how complex and subtle the processes at work are.”
The role of the Sparkling Wine Forum for the scientific community
For Gérard Liger-Bélair, a member of the scientific committee of the Sparkling Wine Forum 2026, it is essential that an event providing a forum for discussion on scientific advances and challenges within the wine industry takes place in Champagne.
“It seems to me that there is still, in this sector, a certain reluctance that all too often confines the discussion solely to Champagne wines, when in fact there is every reason to rejoice and take pride in seeing this expertise explored and adopted around the world.”
“This is a forum that was sorely lacking in Champagne: when I arrived in the region in the early 2000s, I was surprised to find that there was still no major event dedicated to sparkling wine, bridging the scientific and professional worlds, and capable of making an impact on the international stage.”
Gérard Liger-Belair explains the vital role of research, which is even more crucial in times of crisis for the sector, which must turn to scientific innovation in order to weather each crisis. In his view, research and development are key pillars in times of disruption; however, these sectors suffer from budget cuts during every crisis.
Hence the importance of a forum of this kind, which showcases the work of scientists in the wine industry by facilitating meetings and discussions about their innovations and research challenges.
“It is an extraordinary world that is constantly evolving and renewing itself. Let us never forget that the world of ideas has no ‘AOC’, and that we all have a great deal to learn from one another,” concludes Gérard Liger-Belair