How to Select a Wine Glass

We're often asked about how to choose the ideal wine glass in our wine tastings, so we thought it was about time to put (virtual) pen to paper.

Glassware can make a sizeable difference to how wine tastes, so it's important to choose wisely. Should you opt for a cut glass item? Does hand blown glass make a difference? What size of glass should you select?

There's lots to consider when choosing your glass, but don't get overwhelmed. The most important thing (by far) is to ensure that the glass you choose is capable of capturing the wine's aroma. You do this by ensuring that the lip of the glass is smaller in diameter than the bowl (it's really that simple).

Whether you opt for cut glass or something a little smoother is a personal decision, but it's worth remembering that uncut glass is the standard choice for wine tastings - cut glass can prove to be a big hindrance when studying a wine's appearance.

Opting for a hand-blown glass is again a matter of personal choice. At the top end of the wine glass market sit manufacturers like Riedel, Austrian master craftsmen who have pioneered the use of functional wine glasses. Riedel have a vast range of glasses that are specific to the character and style of different wines.

When you're at a posh dinner/wedding/corporate shindig, it's also worth remembering which glass size is used for which wine; any very small glass on the table is likely to be for the dessert or fortified wine, the moderate-sized glass will be for white wines and roses, and the largest glass will be for red wines (as certain red wines can benefit from exposure to air).

Still not sure that glass type makes a difference? Well here's a little game for you the next time you are in a bar or a restaurant. Ask your waiter/barman to pour the same wine into a wine glass and a martini glass (or a highball). Swirl both glasses around, have a nose of each, and spot the difference....