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.

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.

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.

• High-End -- can be $30 or more per glass.
• Riedel Stemware 
• Spiegelau Crystal Stemware 
• Bottega del Vino 
• Ravenscroft 
• Steuben 

• Other Manufacturers
• Anchor Hocking Glassware 
• Libbey Glassware 
• Crate and Barrel 
• Mikasa 
• Schott Zwiesel 

Wine Openers 

Wine Stoppers 

Wine Decanters 

Carrying Cases 

Wine Charms