Wine by the Glass

 

There are a countless variety of wine glasses available.  Some are of traditional design while others are more modern and fashionable. Some were designed for specific grape varieties or for particular wine regions.  However, there are really four key glass shapes that most people use for all-purpose drinking: red, white, bubbly and aperitif/port. When you find that the time has come time to purchase a new set of glassware you may want to first consider what shape and size will best enhance the characteristics of your Carafe wines.

Although decorative glassware is attractive, when you want to fully explore your wines, a colorless, transparent glass will work best. Although stemless glassware has become quite popular and highly regarded for casual drinking, a glass with a flat, round base and a good sized stem will allow your glass to stand freely and the wine will maintain its temperature longer when held.

A bowl shape that is curved and smooth will enable swirling to notice the wine’s body and strength.  If the rim tapers inward, the aromatic qualities of the wine will become more focused towards your nose.  The size is also important. Typically, a wine glass is served ½ full so if you prefer a 6 ounce portion, then a 12 ounce capacity would provide enough space for swirling without spilling and help to direct the vapors to your nostrils.  The shape of the bowl is the most important factor.

Red Wine Glass

A large round bottomed bowl with a wide opening will help to aerate your red wine.  This will aid in the display of the wine’s aroma and bring out the complexities of most red wines.  The height of the glass will determine the mouth feel of the wine.  When you drink from a shorter glass, you will experience the upfront qualities of the wine before the tannins reach the back of your tongue.  Try this as an experiment some time to notice the difference between a tall wine glass versus a shorter one. 

White Wine Glass

White wine glasses tend to have a narrower bowl with less of a difference between the bowl and the opening.  This is because when you first sip a white wine there is less need to “open up” the flavour, but rather to concentrate the flavours from the tip of your tongue to the sides of your mouth, emphasizing the wine’s fruity sweetness and acidity.

Champagne Flute

The best glass to serve carbonated wines such as champagne is a tall, narrow glass called the Flute.  The narrow opening and diameter of the bowl will help hold the bubbles and retain the cool temperature of these wines.  Meanwhile, the champagne saucer with its broad, shallow design is often used for toasts at weddings. Although rumored to be modeled after the shape of Marie Antoinette’s breasts, the bubbles in the wine will soon dissipate in the saucer.

 

Other Wines

For Port, Icewine & aperitifs, you will want a small portion glass with a relatively wide body yet straight opening.  This design helps to direct the concentrated aromas of these intense wines to your nose as you sip.

       

And what if you had to select just one wine glass?  You would best to choose a Taster Glass just like the ones we have at Carafe WineMakers when you bottle your wine. This elongated egg shape was specified by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) for optimizing the sensory perception of wine so you can’t go wrong!

                                                                                                                              Article by Stewart Petrie