The art of the wine glass

Base + Stem + Bowl = Standard Wine Glass.

Why complicate it?  Some of the best memories have been had while drinking champagne out of a styrofoam cup or a fruity pinot noir out of a red plastic cup.  You could eat your filet mignon with a spoon if you had to, but a fork certainly makes for a more enjoyable dining experience, right?  For the same reason, you could actually enjoy your wine more with the right glass.  There is a method to the madness. 

Let's keep it simple for the sake of time.

White Wine

  What ~ The bowl is U-shaped with a more upright side structure.

  Why  ~ This shape allows the wine to stay at a cooler temperature longer while still allowing for the bouquet to be released.

   How ~ Hold the glass by the stem to keep the heat of your hand from warming the wine beyond it's best serving temperature.

Red Wine

   What ~ The bowl is full and round (think fishbowl) 

   Why  ~ This shape allows the bouquet to be fully enjoyed while maximising the surface area of the wine for the purpose of breathing/opening up.

   How  ~ Hold by the bowl to expedite the 'opening-up' process or by the stem.

Specialty/Dessert Wine

   What ~ While the shape of the bowl is not as important, the glass should be smaller in size (think miniature wine glass)

   Why  ~ These types of wine tend to be higher in alcohol, so less is needed.  They tend to have a rather high sugar residual, so less wine is usually consumed.  Finally the smaller glass is designed so that when drunk from, the wine goes directly to the back of the tongue.

   How ~ Where one holds the glass really depends on the suggested temperature that the wine is served at for maximum enjoyment.  The chilled wine should be held by the stem, while a warmer wine can be held by the bowl.

Basic thought regarding ALL glassware for wine enjoyment:

  * Crystal or Glass?

     ~ Crystal will win out everytime for any connoisseur.  Reason being is that crystal has a rough surface that agitates the wine which allows for the release of aromas and flavors.  Crystal's surface also encourages sparkling wines to have more effervescence.

  * Colored or Clear?

     ~ Clear for sure!  Then a wine glass is colored or heavily etched it's difficult to see the the color and clarity of the wine.

  * Cheap or Expensive?

     ~ Expensive is always nice for special occasions, but for everyday drinking buy glasses you can afford to break.  And since we all know breakage will happen, consider buying a few extra just so you can enjoy having a matching set a little longer!

Cheers!