Pair Your Wines With The Right Glass For A Better Experience

One size doesn’t fit all. That is especially true when it comes to drinking wine. When it comes to enjoying the elegance of wine, the perfect glassware is essential. Serving red wine in a white wine glass or vice-versa drastically reduces the flavours and the aroma that you get from the wine. The right kind of glass will give the wine the right amount of bouquet, flavour, texture, aroma and finish, hence it is crucial to understand the different varieties of wine glasses. 

Anatomy Of A Wine Glass

Understanding the parts of a wine glass will assist you in choosing the right glass for a specific type of wine. 

The Rim

The thin rim of a wine glass offers great drinkability. 

The Bowl

The bowl is the essential part of the wine glass. The shape and style of the bowl are determined by the type of wine served. The area of the bowl helps in bringing the aroma and flavours of the wine to your mouth and nose. 

The Stem

The stem of the wine glass holds the bowl and connects it to the foot, giving the glass some height. Holding the wine glass at the stem will prevent the heat transfer from your hands to the wine.

The Foot

The foot adds the necessary weight and stability to the glass.

Types of Wine Glasses 

Red wine glasses 

Red wine is best served at room temperature. Since there are no significant advantages of holding the glass by its bowl or stem, red wine glasses usually have shorter stems. The transfer of heat from your hand doesn’t play a big role in affecting the wine. 

Red wine glasses tends to have large bowls due to its heavy tannins content. Aerating the wine softens the tannins, leading to the release of the wine’s flavours and aromas. Hence it is crucial to serve red wines in a glass with a larger bowl so the wine can be properly aerated. 

Source

White wine glasses

White wine glasses usually have longer stems to prevent the aforementioned heat transfer. Since white wines should be served chilled, it is best to serve the wine in a glass with longer stems reducing the need to hold the glass by its bowl and extend the wine’s ideal temperature. 

White wine glasses also have a smaller bowl as compared to red wine glasses because white wine doesn’t require the aerating process. The thin shape of the bowl also helps in delivering the wine to the front of the mouth where the flavours can be enjoyed more. 

Source

Next time you are serving wine for your dinner party, make sure to serve it in the right glass to enhance the wine’s quality. Your guests will thank you for it.