Does the Wine Glass Matter by L. A. Keller
As part of my restaurant series, this post is about the vessel you use to consume your juice - the fermented grape juice variety. Personally, I love a beautiful glass from which to drink wine. The more shapely and delicate the more I enjoy the wine - not because it always makes the wine dramatically better but it adds to the pleasure of the act. I also tend to break them routinely so I go through lots of different glassware.
The first question you may ask is whether to have stemware or stemless (also known as a tumbler). There was a trend a few years ago to move away from glasses with stems. I agree that the stemless version is sturdier all around. You are less likely to knock the glass over and unable to snap off the stem when washing. These are easy to load in the dishwasher, but not always advisable for any wine glass depending on the quality of the glass.
However, the biggest issue with stemless glasses is that you are holding the glass, and thus the wine, in your hand. For sparkling, rose or white wines, these are best consumed chilled. Just as a brandy snifter allows you to warm the brandy with your hand, the same is true for a wine glass. In a climate such as Arizona, as soon as the wine leaves the refrigerator it warms up. For this reason, I prefer a stemmed glass for these types of wine.
I borrowed the chart from the website listed below as I didn't think I could improve on its simplicity. If you happen to have the storage space for every type of glass you are lucky indeed. If you are like most people, you have to narrow down your selections. It is acceptable to have one type for red, one for white/rose and one for sparkling.
I recommend the Cabernet or Pinot Noir version for all reds, the Chardonnay version for white/rose wines and the flute for sparkling. Red wines need to breathe or be aerated in order to fully release the flavor. White wines don't require as much aeration and generally have a fruitier nose so the more narrow opening works well. The 'nose' of a wine refers to the smells which emanate from the wine.
Sparkling wines will lose their sparkle (the fizziness quotient) quickly so the flute or tulip shape are preferable. If you don't like the bubbles escaping up your nose as you sip, then go for the vintage style. There is something very sixties, old school classy about drinking sparkling wine from the bucket shaped glass. The other reason to select the vintage style is that you get more wine than you do in the small flute shaped glass. For special occasions the flute works best for toasts or to share the wine among more drinkers.
In a pinch, even a plastic cup will do and no one should judge you if you serve a wine in the wrong type of glass. To me it's similar to eating off beautiful china rather than paper plates. The experience is enhanced by including all of the senses.
Photo and chart from https://www.webstaurantstore.com/guide/580/types-of-wine-glasses.html
Remember to always drink responsibly.
Happy Trails,
Leslie
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