The variety of wine glasses available on the market is extensive and designed to enhance different types of wines by directing the wine to specific parts of the palate. Here are some of the most different types of wine glasses and their common uses.
Does Using The Right Type of Wine Glass Matter?
Yes. The glass shape changes the way the wine interacts with oxygen, which influences the tasting experience. Glasses with smaller bowls and a narrow mouth minimize oxygen and wine exposure, while wide bowls mean oxygen can interact with the wine.
For full-bodied red wines, a wider bowl is best because it allows the wine to decant. For most white wines, the goal is to keep the wine colder, and taller wine glasses can help with that.
Red Wine Glasses
Bordeaux Glass
The Bordeaux is a tall, broad wine glass – the tallest of the red wine glasses – with ample space from the bottom of the glass to the very top of the lip. Its height allows the wine to have plenty of oxygen to interact with, lets the tannins relax, and releases some of the alcoholic vapors. These features make Bordeaux glasses suitable for full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, and Merlot.
Burgundy Glass
With a broader bowl and shorter height, the Burgundy glass is best for lighter-bodied complex red wines like Gamay and Pinot Noir (it’s often referred to as a Pinot Noir glass). Its shape accentuates the flavors and traps the wine’s aromas.
Syrah/Shiraz Glass
This glass has a wide bowl and tapers sharply inwards at the top to bring out fruity aromas first, followed by tannins. This glass is perfect for its namesake wines as well as wines with spicy notes like Malbecs, Cotes de Rhones, and Zinfandels.
White Wine Glasses
Many people drink white wine out of any glass that isn’t for red wine. That is, any glass without a wide base. However, there are specific glasses designed for the different types of white wine that you might like to know.
Chardonnay Glass
The first is the Chardonnay glass. This glass has a slightly wider bowl than most white wine glasses and tapers at the top, which delivers the wine directly onto the middle of your palette so you can enjoy the flavors. While this is suitable for virtually any Chardonnay, it can also be used for a simpler red wine, too. If the Chardonnay is stronger and well-oaked, it might do better in a wine glass with a wider bowl.
Sauvignon Blanc Glass
This glass has a narrow bowl and a long stem. Because many Sauvignon Blancs, especially those from North America and France have muted flavors, this wine glass shape is designed to accentuate the flavors and minimize oxygen exposure.
Riesling Glass
These are taller like Chardonnay glasses but are much narrower with a smaller opening, which keeps the aromas in the top of the bowl.
Sparkling Wine Glasses
Champagne Flute
While there are technically different types of glasses for specific sparkling wines, the most common today is the flute glass. The glass is very narrow and tall which keeps the wine bubbly by keeping oxygen exposure to an absolute minimum, a must-have with any sparkling wine, or else it goes flat quickly.
Other Options
However, sparkling wine flutes are narrow and often don’t allow the aromas of the wine to be enjoyed. Some wine enthusiasts drink wine from tulip-shaped wine glasses or from traditional white wine glasses which allow for swirling and release of the aromas. Th
Dessert Wine Glasses
Port Glass
The traditional port glass is a smaller glass with a tulip shape and a shorter stem. Oftentimes times these glasses are used for Port, Sherry, and other sweet dessert wines. Because desert wines are often higher in alcohol, the smaller glass allows for better portion control.
Sherry Glass
The Sherry glass is an ornate glass specifically reserved for Sherry wine. They often have short stems and medium bowls. Similar to port glasses, these are often small in size.
Stemless Wine Glasses
As the name suggests, these glasses have no base or stem and just have a bowl. They’re popular and convenient and their size makes them easier to clean and store. However, a stemless wine glass means the bowl has constant contact with the hand which will warm the wine up considerably. Stemless wine glasses also cannot be swirled to let the aromas out. Keep this in mind before deciding to use one.
Universal Wine Glasses
A universal wine glass is designed to be used for all types of wine. They are often medium-shaped, not too wide, and not too narrow. These are becoming more popular, especially with newer wine drinkers who don’t want to spend money or store 4-5 types of wine glasses.
Different manufacturers also offer their own variations and patented designs that claim to enhance the experience of specific wine types. It’s important to note that while these various shapes are designed to accentuate the flavor and aroma of specific types of wine, the experience of drinking wine is not a one-size-fits-all. The “best” wine glass for you is what helps you enjoy the wine the most and what you have easy access to.
