How to Select The Right Wine Glasses
Most people do not put much thought into selecting wine glasses, as they believe all are basically equal. However, wine glasses serve more than just decorative purposes. Their shape and characteristics impact not only the presentation of the wine but also the flavor. Each different feature of a wine glass has a purpose. Once you know this, shopping for wine glasses becomes more exciting.
The easiest place to start when selecting wine glasses is to decide whether you are looking for glasses for red or white wine. For those who enjoy several different varieties of wine, a traditional, tulip-shaped wine glass will be the best purchase, since it is suitable for most types of wine.
The main distinction between white and red wine glasses is that the bowls of red wine glasses are much wider than those of white wine glasses. Since red wine is best enjoyed at room temperature, the larger surface area allows it to maintain its temperature despite the contact with the hand. The bowl must be larger for red wine so that the flavors are mixed together correctly, which will occur when the wine is aerated. Different flavors are best enjoyed with different parts of the mouth, and red wine glasses are tall and will place the wine to the back of the palate. Certain types of red wine glasses have even larger bowls, which allow the sweet taste of the wine to be enjoyed on the tip of the tongue.
White wine is best when chilled, and narrowly-shaped glasses are more conducive to maintaining the cool temperature, due to the minimal amount of surface area that comes into contact with the air. Another advantage of the small bowl, when it comes to preserving the best conditions of white wine, is that the amount of contact with the hand will be minimized in order to preserve the temperature.
Glasses made for white wine are have narrow rims and are thin. The flavors in white wine are different from those in red wine, so they should be tasted with different parts of the mouth. These narrow rims direct the fruity taste present in some white wines and the acidic flavors to the middle of the mouth. If you are looking for a glass for a dessert wine or particularly sweet wine, look for even narrower rims and smaller bowls, which preserve the chilled temperature even longer.
It is also important to consider the size of the wine glass, since this will impact the way that the flavor is enjoyed. Many people do not realize that wine glasses should not be filled to the top. Instead, it is best if the right amount of wine can be held in only half of the bowl. The purpose of this is so that there is room to swirl the wine without it spilling over. Swirling allows the aeration of the wine, which provides the best enjoyment of all the flavors mixing together.
Although these tips may seem overwhelming, the process of choosing the right wine glasses is really not as complicated as it seems. What it all really comes down to is the width, height and size of the bowl, and the thickness of the rim. Just remember to start out by deciding whether you are shopping for glasses for red or white wine, as this will significantly narrow down the number of factors you need to take into consideration.
