Did you know that the type of wine glass you choose will affect the taste of your aged wine? It’s true – you could drink the same wine out of three different glasses and have three different taste experiences.
So, when you’re about to crack open a bottle of beautifully aged wine from your wine cellar, make sure you select the best wine glass for your wine.
There are as many different wine glasses as there are wines, but this doesn’t mean that you have to spend thousands of dollars on elegant glassware in order to get the full experience out of every bottle of wine from your wine cellar. So, with this in mind, let’s take a look at what determines the best wine glass for your favourite bottle of wine.
The Three Most Important Aspects of a Wine Glass
There are three main aspects of any standard wine glass – the base, the stem, and the bowl.
Wine Glass Base
The base is a flat round piece at the bottom of the bowl and keeps your wine glass standing upright (even if you aren’t!). The shape of the base may vary slightly, but its purpose remains the same. It is simply a way to connect the stem to the bowl and to keep the bowl upright.
Some wine glasses have a thicker base than the rest of the glass. This adds some weight to the feel of the wine glass. Then again, there are some who prefer a lighter feel to the glass.
It’s all a matter of preference as the base still only functions as a support piece and has little to do with the quality of the wine drinking experience.
Wine Glass Stem
The stem gives you a way to hold your glass, but more importantly it allows you to keep your hands from warming the wine. This is particularly important if you are drinking white wine, which needs to remain cool for the best taste. However, for a red wine, it may actually be an advantage to have the warmth of the hands on the bowl to enhance the flavour and aromas.
The stem also keeps any grubby fingerprints away from the bowl.
These days, however, you’ll find a streamlined version of wine glasses that are stemless. Stemless wine glasses have gained popularity as they are more resistant to the occasional tipping and spilling. Plus, they are a bit of a novelty because everyone is so used to seeing stemmed wine glasses.
The best of the best in stemless wine glasses is Riedel O, which many people consider to be the most unique and classy.
Interestingly, stemless wine glasses are the way to go in Italy where a lot of red and white wine are enjoyed in stemless glasses that look more like jam jars than wine glasses. This is often considered very fun and very continental!
Wine Glass Bowl
The wine glass bowl is where you will see the most variation in shape and size. Every bowl has the same general function, holding the wine, but the variations allow more or less air into the wine to further develop the flavors.
All wine glass bowls have roughly the same shape; wider bottom, tapering upward. The ratio of wide to narrow determines which wine would fare better in which shape. The general “wider bottom, tapered top” shape allows the wine’s aroma to be captured and delivered straight to your nose and palate.
Selecting the Best Red Wine Glass for Aged Wine
Wine glasses designed for red wines are usually much more round at the bottom, tapering only slightly at the top. This gives them a wider opening, which allows you to get your nose into the glass and breathe in all of those rich red flavours.
For Bordeaux, Cabernet and Merlot wines, it is best to use a wine glass that has a large tulip or narrowing goblet. This is the most useful style of wine glass as it allows swirling but has a narrow opening to concentrate the aromas. It directs the wine straight to the back of the palate where the taste buds can get the most out of the flavor. This shape is very typical of a red wine glass.
For Burgundy, Grand Cru, Pinot, Nebbiolo, Syrah and Shiraz, a very large wine glass is often used. These large wine glasses allow the maximum exposure to air for a big or closed wine. They also add a bit of ‘buzz’ to the table when a very special wine is served in these huge glasses. This is often the only glass for ‘big red’ aficionados.
Selecting the Best White Wine Glass
White wine glasses are more of a bell shape, which allow the wine to maintain a cooler temperature. The curvature at the top of the bell shape helps the wine to contact the sides of the tongue where the sweet sensation resides.
The wider mouth of the glass also allows more air in to push the crisp, bold flavors to the surface of the wine.
Selecting the Best Sparkling Wine and Champagne Flute
The only variation in white wine glasses is the flute shape for Sparkling Wine and Champagne, which is tall and narrow. This shape works well as it keeps the ‘bubbles’ which is part and parcel of a sparkling wine. It also keeps the chill, presenting this fun wine at its best.
This style of wine glass also keeps the wine at the back of the palate for optimal taste.
How To Choose the Best Wine Glass for Aged Wine
If you want to get the best out of your aged wine and enjoy those long years of cellaring, make sure you select the best wine glass for your wine. At a minimum, have at least a set of high quality white wine glasses and red wine glasses. The most important thing to look for in any wine glass is good, solid construction; something that feels good in your hand and looks clear and clean.
The best wine glass brand in my opinion is Riedel
Whether you choose stemmed wine glasses, or stemless glasses, hold the glass, feel the weight, and consider the shape. If the glass is pleasing to touch and to see, you have chosen the right wine glass for you!