WHICH GLASS FOR EACH WINE: FIND OUT HERE!

Believe it or not, each wine has its glass and it’s more important than it seems for enjoying the wine to its fullest. This is because the shape of the container the wine is served in can affect its colour, aroma and taste, and therefore our perception of the wine. That’s why we have some tips to help you choose the best option for each of type, thinking about all those special celebration that will surely become indelible moments. Take note!

Before going into the details of which glass is best for each type of wine, it’s important to note why wine is served in stemware and not a drinking glass. Even though you may have had it that way in the past because you didn’t have any wine glasses (it’s happened to all of us!), you should know it isn’t the best option.

That’s because a wine glass has two main characteristics that make it perfect for wine. First of all, the stem and the foot, so you can hold it without your hands warming up the contents of the glass. Plus, it means the sides of the glass don’t get all smudged and you can enjoy the colour of the wine as you drink it. So, it’s best if the wine glass is made of plain glass and doesn’t have any texture.

Also, the bowl of the wine glass, which is wider at the bottom than at the top, helps keep in the wine’s aromas so they don’t all dissipate at once. This is the main reason different wines do best in certain types of glasses. With these general concepts in mind, now we’ll look at which glass should be used with the main types of wine, and why.

Red wine is powerful in taste, so it needs a bigger glass where it will get lots of air. So, it is most commonly served in Bordeaux or Burgundy wine glasses. They both have a wide, round-bottomed bowl that allows wine to swirl easily and get properly aerated.

The Bordeaux wine glass is the most common style. Its lip is a bit wider than a Burgundy wine glass, which means the wine flows from the centre, reducing the bitter notes from the tannins in the wine. This type of glass is best for young and Crianza red wines.

The Burgundy wine glass has more volume at the bottom of the bowl and a narrower lip, which concentrates the aromas and makes them easier to smell. So, it’s perfect for Crianza or Reserva wines, which are more intense in both flavour and smell.

White wine is lighter and fresher than red, so it needs a smaller glass. The perfect option is similar to the Bordeaux glass but with a smaller, straighter bowl. This way, the lip of the glass is wider than you need for red wine, which boosts the freshness and sweet notes white wine is known for.

Plus, a smaller glass keeps the wine from getting too much oxygen and keeps it cold longer, which is essential for enjoying all of its qualities. If it is an older white wine, a taller, straighter bowl is recommended to bring out its flavour.

What do you think? Have you been doing it right? Of course, on top of these more common wine glasses, there are more specific designs for other types, like sweet wines, which are often served in glasses with a wider bowl and narrower lip, or Sherry wines, which are served in flutes like the ones used for sparkling wines but with a shorter stem. You don’t need a whole arsenal of wine glasses to enjoy a good wine, though. Just the classics are enough.

Now that you have all this information and know which glass to choose, all you need is the wine. Cheers!