All About Wine Glasses

A useful, appealing essential

Americans are drinking more wine than ever before, according to a survey released by the Wine Market Council in January, 2006.  Per capita, consumption is at a record high. even after eleven straight years of growth! 

Wine on the rise

With the latest research showing that light to moderate wine consumption reduces mortality from all causes, it's no wonder Americans are drinking more. As wine consumption increases, so does the need for wine glasses! 

Update your collection

Drinking wine from a wine glass makes every day more festive. But if you don't know the difference between a red and white wine glass and sip your drinks out of whatever glass is within reach, it may be time to update your bar collection.

Many styles of classic wine glasses will harmonize with modern or traditional table settings for both casual and formal entertaining.  Or, you can ratchet up your bar and wineglass collection to levels guests will consider not only acceptable, but also sophisticated! 

The wine tasting experience

There are wine glasses for just about every wine variety out there.  Certain shaped wine glasses lend themselves to different wine tasting experiences.  You need to know which type of wine breathes best in which kind of glass; this depends on how much oxygen is allowed to encompass the wine as you're swirling it.  Depending on your passion for wine and your budget, here are some options to choose from:

White wine glass.   White wine is generally served in a Chardonnay glass.  The glass is long and slender.

Red wine glass.  Glasses for drinking red wine traditionally have a wider bowl bottom so the fuller bodied red wine has more room to breathe.

Cabernet wine glass.  An expensive bottle of wine deserves a cabernet wine glass.  This glass has a wider bowl with high walls, ideal for swirling and sinking your nose into.

Port wine glass.  The long tapered bowl of this style makes it ideal for serving vintage ports, cream sherry and matured Marsala.

Burgundy glass.  This elegant wine glass is ideal for wines that need plenty of air to unfold their aromas.  The wide bowl shape increases the exposure to oxygen, so that the flavor is fully expressed.  Suited for lighter to medium bodied wines including Burgundy, Pinot Noir and Shiraz.

Oversized wine glass.  An oversized wine glass enhances the flavors of classic red wines like Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  The narrow rim is designed to balance the wine's complex aromas and flavors for a full range of rich tastes.

Stem free glasses.  Indulge in the relaxed European tradition of drinking wine from stem free wine glasses.  A traditional bowl enhances the attributes of any wine variety.

Few of us have the storage capacity or budget to buy every kind of wine glass.   A good compromise for entertaining or drinking at home, is to choose all purpose red and white wine glasses or the style of glass that accommodates the kind of wine you like best.

More information on glasses