Finding the right wine glass to use for the type of wines you like can be intimidating. There are particular glasses to use for Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Prosecco, Port, Chardonnay, Sherry, and the list goes on and on. While the shape of the glass certainly enhances key features of the wine such as aromas and flavors, I don’t think the everyday wine drinker necessarily needs to know those fine details. Essentially, I think there are 4 main types of wine glasses everyone should own or be able to identify. Those are glasses used for white wines, red wines, universal wine glasses, and sparkling wines. Never feel self-conscious when going to a fancy restaurant again.
These key identifiers can help you become well versed in wine and avoid those, “uh, is this the right glass?” moments. Please note, that in each category of wine glasses there are various shapes and sizes, I will briefly touch on a few prominent characteristics of each.
NOTE: This post will be updated weekly as I post new videos to my IG page.
Red Wine glasses are designed to provide ample space for the aromas and flavors of the wine to fully reach its peak. Red wine glasses typically have a rounder bowl, wider opening, and has a stem that is medium to long in length. Since red wine glasses are typically served room temperature and can be held by the bowl, their stems can vary in length. The wider bowl and opening allows for greater air contact & oxidation. Check out the short video below for additional details.
White wine glasses are typically identified by their U- shaped bowl, narrow opening, and a long stem. Most white wines are served chilled, thus the glass should be held by the stem. The goal is to avoid allowing your body heat to warm the wine and holding the glass by the stem instead of the bowl helps achieve that. The U-shaped bowl and narrow opening also play a part in keeping the wine cooler for longer. Check out the short video below for additional details.
Universal wine glasses, or all-purpose wine glasses, can be used for both red and white wines alike. This is the perfect option if you are new to wine and still a bit unsure of your overall preference. Additionally, if you are a little tight on space or budget, universal wine glasses are generally great options. Key identifiers of universal wine glasses are their flat base, narrow and tall frame, narrow opening, and long stem. In a nutshell, they are everyday glasses that can be used in casual spaces. Check out the video below for additional details.
Stemless wine glasses have pretty much the same characteristics of most wine glasses, with the exception that these glasses are designed without a stem. Some stemless glasses are suited for only white wines or only red wines. You can distinguish between the two by considering the identifiers of the bowl and the openings of wine glasses referenced above. Although some stemless glasses were designed with white wines in mind, many people prefer not to use stemless glasses when drinking white wines. Many white wines are served chilled and holding the glasses by the bowl can transfer body heat to the wine. This could cause our white wine to warm up a lot faster than it would if the glass was held by the stem. Stemless wine glasses are casual and have an oddly unisex look. This may be the reason why most males, especially novice wine drinkers, have a keen appreciation for stemless wine glasses. Stemless wine glasses are also known as tumblers.
Sparkling wines have one key goal: keeping the bubbles going. There are three types of glass commonly used for sparkling wines those are champagne flutes, tulips, and saucers. Flutes have a long and slender bowl that is great for preserving carbonation and limiting the amount of oxygen that comes in contact with the wine. In general, the more oxygen that sparkling wines are exposed to, the fewer bubbles and fizz. While the narrow frame of the glass certainly has its benefits, it does not provide much room for flavors in the wine to develop. Flutes are great for younger wines. Tulips are shaped like their namesake flower, the tulip. The tulips wider bowl offers the flavors & aromas of the wine more room to develop. This is particularly why wine lovers prefer to use tulip glasses for their more mature or aged sparkling wines. Unfortunately, champagne saucers don’t offer much for young or mature wines. Their wide opening and flat bowl allow for greater oxygen contact thus sparkling wines in this glass tend to fizzle out pretty quickly.
