Choosing the right glassware can be tough, but here’s an easy guide for getting the glassware right- every time.
Reds: These are usually wines you should let breathe. If you have a decanter or an aerator, you know that it’s good to let the oxygen get to the wine after its opened. This helps the wine to develop its more complex aromas and flavours. Red wine glasses come in many shapes and sizes, but as a general rule, it’s a good idea to enjoy reds out of a larger bowl. Whether it’s stemware or a tumbler (better for white wine), anything with a larger bowl will allow more oxygen to come into contact with the wine to develop those aromas/flavours. Better rounder and bolder for reds.
Whites: Like I said above, white wines can easily be enjoyed from a tumbler. Whites do no need a lot of breathing time. Most are drunk right away out of the fridge and don’t develop any extreme complex aromas or flavours unlike reds. White wine glasses are usually just less bulbous than red wine glasses. These are the least worrisome wines to worry your glassware ass about!
Sparkling Wines: These can be finicky. Superior sparkling wines- usually Champagnes have finer bubbles and therefore should be served/enjoyed in a thin, flute-like glass. The bubbles are so delicate and it is important to keep the freshness of the Champagne, so it is typically served in a less bulbous glass. The flute shape allows for the bubbles to stream directly to the top without escaping the glass quickly. Something as simple and inexpensive as a Prosecco from Italy can be served in a rounder glass (ex: the ‘Gatsby’ glass below). Keep it bubbly and keep it coming!
Others?
I don’t have glasses for sweet wines/ice wines yet, but I do plan on investing soon. The glass for this is usually stemware with a small bowl to contain the sweetness in the wine in a compact area. As for beverages such as Sherry or Port, a wider glass with a more open end is best. This allows the oxygen to come into contact with the alcohol and release the intense aromatics. Sherries and Ports also develop some complex aromas that are released with oxygen contact.
Cheers…Clink…Fizz!
