HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT WINE GLASS

Whether sweet or dry, white or red, robust or light, wine requires very specific serving procedures in order to reach its full flavour potential. In addition to proper serving temperatures, each type of wine requires a specific style of glass for service. The bowl shape, stem length and rim can all be designed to enhance the specific flavour profile of particular cultivars. For instance, red wine glasses typically have larger, wider bowls to allow more air to come into contact with the wine, whereas white wine glasses have the opposite to slow down the oxidation process. To get the most out of your wine collection, browse through the guide below to choose the ideal wine glass for your needs.

RED WINE GLASSES

The ideal red wine glass has a full, round bowl with a large opening. This is because a glass with a full bowl provides more air contact with the wine, which increases its oxidation rate and ultimately smoothens out its complex flavours and improves its aroma. The opening of the glass must but large enough so that you can dip your nose inside to experience the full aroma of its contents.

Bordeaux Glass

When serving heaver red wines with high tannins like Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Bordeaux blends, you should look for a tall glass with a broad bowl. The Bordeaux glass is the tallest of the red wine glasses and this particular design creates more distance between the mouth and the wine allowing ethanol to dissipate on the nose, softening the tannins. The shape of the glass also directs wine to the back of the mouth to minimise bitterness and maximise flavour.

Burgundy Wine Glass

The Burgundy wine glass is your go-to wine glass for delicate, lighter red wines, for instance, Red Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Dolcetto. This glass has a particularly large bowl that is even broader than a Bordeaux glass and a narrower top. This design subtly directs wine to the tip of the tongue allowing you to fully appreciate the flavour nuances of delicate reds. The broadness of the bowl fosters the accumulation of aroma and its thin rim makes for easy drinking.

Pinot Noir Glass

The Pinot Noir glass is strikingly similar to the Burgundy wine glass and as such, they can be used interchangeably. Typically, you will notice that these glasses have an even broader bowl allowing for more air contact, faster oxidation and more rapid flavour diffusion.

Cabernet Sauvignon Glass

The Cabernet Sauvignon glass is also a tall glass with a broad bowl that occasionally features a very narrow rim. Best suited for bold wines, the broad bowl of this glass allows wine to breathe and aroma to accumulate by the narrow mouth for a full flavour experience.

WHITE WINE GLASSES

You will recognise white wine glasses from their upright, u-shaped design. They also typically have a smaller bowl compared to red wine glasses. This shape allows the glass to enhance and preserve aromas while also retaining the wine’s cool temperature.

Sauvignon Blanc Glass

The Sauvignon Blanc glass is tall and has a slender bowl to capture the nuanced, delicate floral and fruity aromas of light to medium-bodied white wines like White Bordeaux, Fume Blanc, Loire, Vinho Verde, Chenin Blanc, Muscadet, Muscat Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. Seeing as the sides of the mouth detect acidity the most, the unique shape of this glass encourages the tongue to form a u-shape so that wine gets directed towards the centre of the palate for a smoother sip.

Montrachet Glass

White wines with complex notes like Montrachet, White Burgundy, Corton-Charlemagne and Meursault require a wine glass with a larger bowl. A large bowl allows the heaviness of the wine to open up through air contact. The larger opening of this glass enables you to take in the complex aromas of your wine and directs the wine to flow from the edges of the tongue and either side of the palate for a complete experience of the sour and acidic spectrum.

Chardonnay Wine Glass

The chardonnay glass has a larger opening to guide wine to the tip and sides of the tongue, enabling the palate to detect the flavour of the wine while its bowl shape provides just enough aeration to concentrate the aroma. These features also make this glass perfect for full-bodied wines like Semillon and Viognier.

Riesling Sweet and Standard Sweet Wine Glass

This glass is perfect for sweet wines like Riesling, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Gruner Veltliner. It is one of the smaller wine glass and features a smaller rim to guide wine to the centre and back of the mouth to avoid overwhelming sweetness.

ROSÉ WINE GLASSES

Your choice of rosé glass depends on the age of your rosé. Follow our guide below to find the best glass for your favourites.

Flared Lip Rosé Glass

Young crisp rosés or white wines are perfectly suited to the flared lip rosé glass. Featuring a long stem, this glass avoids transferring the heat from your hand to the wine. Its flared lip directs wine to the tip of the tongue of the first where your sweet taste buds are concentrated. Its design thus enhances the sweetness of crisp wine; balances flavour and minimises any bite.

Slight Taper Rosé Glass

The slightly tapered design of this glass makes it best suited to mature, full-bodied rosés. It features a short bowl that is rounded at the bottom.

DESSERT WINE GLASSES

Dessert wines have higher alcohol content so it’s best to serve them in smaller glasses. The shape of these glasses directs the wine to the tip and back of the mouth for proper appreciation of sweetness.

Port Wine Glass

Well suited for a range of dessert wines, the Port wine glass has a narrow mouth to reduce evaporation and concentrate the aroma. It is tall enough to swirl for aroma diffusion. The shape of the glass is designed to lead wine slowly down the centre of the mouth towards the back to enable just enough sweetness detection.

Sherry Wine Glass

Perfect for sherry, cordials and other dessert wines, the Sherry glass is small, holding just enough liquid content for a nightcap. The design of the glass directs wine to the back of the moth to avoid overwhelming sweetness.

ALL-PURPOSE WINE GLASSES

If you are not able to stock a different glass for every wine, then one of these all-purpose wine glasses could be perfect for you. Although the experience may not be the same as when you use the proper glass type for the application, these glasses offer a similar function at a lower cost.

With Stem

The bowl shape of these glasses is somewhere between that of a red and wine glasses, making them suitable for both types of wines.

Stemless

Stemless wine glasses are more durable than traditional stemware, but they warm wine faster. They feature the same bowl shapes as red and white wine glasses and can be used for beverage service as well. These glasses boast a contemporary appearance and are exceptionally trendy.

TUSCANY STEMLESS WINE GLASS

CRYSTAL VS GLASS WINE GLASSES

The difference between crystal and glass comes down to the presence of lead. Lead softens the glass in crystal making it easier to cut and engrave. Traditional glass, on the other hand, is lighter and more durable. Today’s crystal glassware is made without lead to prevent leaching.

Crystal

Crystal glasses can be spun very thinly but are more expensive and fragile than normal glass. They are also porous and better cared for by handwashing. Due to their malleability and thin rims, these glasses yield a smoother drink flow against the tongue.

Glass

Typical glass is more durable and less likely to break. They are non-porous, usually dishwasher safe and generally less expensive than crystal.

If you are deciding between crystal and traditional glass, think about the environment where they will be used. Traditional glass can be a more practical option for busy restaurants as it’s more durable whereas crystal glassware may be best for upscale establishments. Luckily, at Core Catering Supplies we stock a wide variety of both crystal and traditional glassware so that you can pick and choose the glasses best suited for your home, restaurant or catering business.