|
<< Back to the Learning Center
HALF FULL - Selecting the Perfect Wine Glass
Choosing the right glass can maximize your wine’s
flavor and bouquet
You finally found it. That elusive bottle of 1994
Pesquera Tinto is yours, and it’s time to celebrate with a toast.
But, is there a glass worthy of your exquisite treasure?
While you may encounter a similar dilemma on
occasion, you’re more likely in the market for glasses to serve wine
to your guests, or perhaps even “everyday” glassware for the evening
ritual of “Take Me Away, Cabernet.”
For every wine there is a glass—or at least it seems
so. But while the options are endless, there are ways to ensure you
choose the best vessel for your vino.
Crystal Clear
Let’s start with the materials. Blown glass is
preferable to fused or cut glass, as it has a thinner lip and
doesn’t interfere with the wine’s flavor. Beyond this, color is a
factor. Most wine glasses are clear instead of frosted or tinted,
allowing you to truly appreciate the color of the wine.
For your finest, most cherished wines, select a
crystal glass to really show them off.
Lead crystal provides the greatest aesthetic
advantages, beyond a doubt. When lead oxide is added to molten
glass, the end result is more light refraction (sparkle)—not to
mention a more melodic “clink” when toasting.
There has been some concern over lead “leaching” into
beverages, and the EPA has set standards for a safe amount: for
drinking water, this is 50 micrograms per liter. Because testing has
proven that wine doesn’t remain in the glass long enough during a
meal to exceed EPA standards, you can safely serve wine in lead
crystal stemware. Riedel, the first name in glassware, offers a
spectacular selection.
Watch Your Figure
Believe it or not,
the shape of a wine glass can affect the enjoyment of your beverage,
because its flavor and bouquet (scent) come together in your glass
to accentuate the wine’s character. Its shape is also responsible
for how the wine makes its way to your mouth. While it may not
literally improve the taste of the wine, the right glass can enhance
the experience. In general, the opening of the glass shouldn’t be
wider than the widest part of the bowl. Now, let’s get specific!
Most wine glasses
can be categorized for red wine, white wine and champagne.
Red Wine
Glasses
Since most red wines are meant to be consumed at room
temperature, their glasses typically have
a
rounder,
wider bowl, allowing the wine to breathe and the glass surrounding
it to be warmed by your hand. Specific red styles may include:
-
The Bordeaux, which is tall with a wide bowl. It’s
meant for full-bodied Cabernet and Merlot. When you drink from it,
the shape of the glass specifically directs the wine to the back
of your mouth.
-
The Burgundy, which has a larger bowl than the
Bordeaux, is perfect for Pinot Noir.
This shape of
this glass sends the wine directly to the tip of your tongue.
White Wine Glasses
 While
red wine glasses are open to circulate air and allow your hand to
warm the wine, white wine glasses are designed in an opposite
fashion, to achieve the reverse.
Their somewhat
narrow, straight or tulip-shaped sides enable chilled wine to
maintain its cooler temperature by forcing the drinker to hold the
stem and keeping warm air out at the top.
Champagne flutes  
With their long
stem and very narrow bowl, champagne flutes do a great job of
keeping their contents at peak flavor. As with whites, flutes
are to be held by the stem to prevent warming, and the narrow bowl
helps the beverage stay bubbly longer.
A Flat-out Winner
Now that we’ve covered the basic
shape of stemware, let’s lose the stem! Riedel is setting a new
trend
in the wine industry with their “O” stemless
 wine
glasses. O glasses are appropriate for fine and casual wine
drinking, and stack conveniently together for compact storage.
But don’t worry: these tumblers are still designed in
a variety of unique shapes to flatter specific wine types. Reidel’s
aim with the O glasses is not to change the wine’s flavor but to
demystify wine drinking and attract a younger audience. Try the
glasses yourself and feel younger in seconds!
Now, learn more
about the
grapes that make the wines that fill the glasses you now
know so much about.
SIDEBAR: Washing Your Wineglasses
If you’ve ever wondered about the right way to wash
your wine glasses, you’re in luck! Experts agree that while
dishwashing is probably okay for everyday wine glasses, detergent
can actually spoil the flavor of your wine. So, if you’ve got a
bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion, we recommend that
you hand wash your glasses without soap or detergent before serving,
and air dry them upside down on a rack instead of with a cloth.
Cheers!
|
