Wine Glasses

If you are a serious oenophile, or aspire to be one, there are some clear rules you should adhere to when purchasing wine glasses. 

The Basics

Rule #1: Always get clear glass.

• When choosing wine glasses make sure the glass is made from clear glass. 
• Crystal  is preferred, but it's expensive. Unless you are very serious about your wine, any kind of clear glass will do.
• Being able to clearly see the color of the wine  is an important part of drinking and enjoying wine.

Rule #2: Get a glass large enough to release the wine aromas.

• Wine glasses should never be filled more than half-way. This allows the top of the glass to capture the bouquet when you swirl the glass.
• Good wine glasses taper  in somewhat at the top, so that the aperture is narrower than the bowl lower down.
• The bolder the wine the larger the bowl should be. A narrow bowl should be used for lighter red and white wines to concentrate the delicate flavor.
• A burgundy glass  (which resembles a brandy snifter) is wider than a Bordeaux,  which is wider than a chardonnay,  which is wider than a Sauvignon blanc. 

Rule #3: Always get a stemmed glass.

• Stemmed wine glasses  prevents warming the wine with your body heat.
• Red wine is not cognac; it should not come to your body temperature before you drink it.
• Having a stem to hold reduces the chances of greasy fingerprints on the bowl, which is much more aesthetically pleasing.

The Only Five Wine Glasses You Will Ever Need

Pinot Noir /Burgundy Red  The widest type of wine glass, resembling a snifter.  Sometimes flared (pictured), but usually not. Directs the aroma to the nose, while allowing plenty of surface area for the wine to interact with the air.	Bordeaux  Slightly narrower than a Pinot Noir glass, but still has the characteristic "red wine glass"  shape. Designed for full bodied red wines. Directs the wine to the back of the mouth.	Burgundy White /Chardonnay  Midrange glasses suitable to a wide variety of Chardonnay  and white Burgundy.  Somewhat taller than a Sauvignon Blanc glass, and less rounded.	Sauvignon Blanc  Smaller than red wine glasses, but still features a wider bowl to enhance the fresh flavors and aromas of Sauvignon Blanc.	Champagne  Champagne  should always be served in a tall, narrow flute. This shape minimizes warming while presenting the most attractive way to view the bubbles. Click here for more on champagne glasses.

... Unless You Also Like Dessert Wines

Dessert Wine Glass  Smaller than a traditional wine glass, but with a rounded shape. Used for sweet wines that aren't fortified.	Port Glass  Can be used for many fortified dessert wines,  not just port.  Shows off the color while directing the bouquet to the nose.	Sherry Glass  Another form of dessert wine glass is this small sherry glass.  Not really necessary, but certainly attractive. Even smaller than a port glass.

However, the "rules" about dessert wines seem to be more relaxed; unless you are very serious about your port, you probably don't need more than one kind of glass for all sweet or fortified dessert wines.

What's Your Oenophile Style?

For the Beginner If the names of the different glasses meant nothing to you, you should start with an all-purpose wine glass.  For a more space- and cost-effective wine glass, there are a variety of great all-purpose wine glasses. The California Wine Institute describes the best all-purpose wine glass as having these characteristics: 5 1/2-inches tall 1 3/4-inches stem length Tulip shaped bowl 8 ounce fluid capacity	For the Budding Connoisseur If you don't let your friends drink White Zinfandel,  you need more than an all-purpose glass. Depending on how serious you are about your collection, you'll probably want between three and five glasses, like the ones above. Start with three glasses -- an all-purpose red wine glass  (like a Bordeaux glass), an all-purpose white wine glass  (like a Chardonnay glass), and a champagne flute. You can add in the Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and dessert wine glasses as you have money rooms	For the Serious Oenophile If you have 200 bottles in your basement and all the local wineshops know your name, these glasses are for you. Crystal is the best material for a wine glass, as it allows the wine to breath better than other kinds of glass. It is expensive and impractical to buy a glass for each variety of wine. Riedel, a high-end wine glass manufacturer, invented the concept of a different glass for each kind of wine. Buying all the glasses is not necessary, even for the serious wine drinker, but there may be one or two that appeal to you.

Major Manufacturers

Related Products

Wine Openers	Wine Stoppers	Wine Decanters	Carrying Cases	Wine Charms

External Links

• Epicurious -- guide to wine glasses, with a lovely illustration.
• Wine Doctor -- extensive advice about wine, including info about buying wine glasses.
• Best Wine Glass -- tips on buying glasses for different kinds of wine.
• Wikipedia -- Wikipedia has an informative, although general, article on wine glasses.