Champagne lovers could be enjoying their bubbly in lighter and more eco-friendly bottles in the future, thanks to new developments in design.

Traditionally, Champagne has been kept in thick bottles weighing around 900g in order to contain the pressure generated by the bubbles, which can be around three times that produced by an average car tyre, the New York Times reports.

However, winemaker Pommery has managed to slim the shoulders of the bottle to shed 65g from traditional designs, as part of the industry's drive to cut 200,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.

Trade industry body the Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) is encouraging vintners to begin using the greener bottle from next year.

"Champagne is sometimes more humble than it should be," Philippe Wibrotte of the CIVC, told the newspaper.

"Much is done for the promotion of the environment, but it's kept quiet because we want to make sure each step is perfect."

According to Dr Vino, before sufficiently strong bottles were developed, cellar staff in Champagne were known to enter the caves in hockey-style masks to protect themselves against the threat of exploding bottles.