Wine: Does the Glass Matter?

By Mary M. Alward

There are lots of myths about which wine glass to use with certain wines. The truth is, every style and different shaped glass will make each wine have its own distinct flavor. However, a glass doesn't make a specific wine better. Manufacturers of wine glasses make different styles of wine glasses and they make them in a variety of shapes. Shape matters only because each wine drinker is subjective in his preference. You may prefer drinking a specific wine from a certain shaped glass and the person beside you may prefer to drink the same wine out of a different shaped glass. It's all a matter of taste.

When you are deciding which type and style of wine glass to purchase for entertaining, choose those that have a stem. If you are choosing a wine glass for tasting, there are glasses on today's market that have no stem. A stem on a wine glass serves two purposes. It allows you to hold the glass without touching the bowl and it allows you to swirl your wine more easily.

Regardless of what shape a wine glass is, the mouth should be smaller than the bowl at the widest point. This keeps the aroma in the glass.

Crystal glasses are thinner and more elegant than glass. Glass is easier to clean, but crystal has a beautiful ring. The difference is once again a question of preference, though crystal glasses are more expensive.

Keep several shapes of wine glasses on hand when you are entertaining, so you can offer your guests a wide variety of wines and they can choose the glass they prefer.

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