Wine by the Glass
There are a countless variety of wine glasses available. Some are of traditional design while others are more modern and fashionable. Some were designed for specific grape varieties or for particular wine regions. However, there are really four key glass shapes that most people use for all-purpose drinking: red, white, bubbly and aperitif/port. When you find that the time has come time to purchase a new set of glassware you may want to first consider what shape and size will best enhance the characteristics of your Carafe wines.
Although decorative glassware is attractive, when you want to fully explore your wines, a colorless, transparent glass will work best. Although stemless glassware has become quite popular and highly regarded for casual drinking, a glass with a flat, round base and a good sized stem will allow your glass to stand freely and the wine will maintain its temperature longer when held.
A
bowl shape that is curved and smooth will enable swirling to notice the
wine’s body and strength. If the rim tapers inward, the aromatic
qualities of the wine will become more focused towards your nose. The
size is also important. Typically, a wine glass is served ½ full so if
you prefer a 6 ounce portion, then a 12 ounce capacity would provide
enough space for swirling without spilling and help to direct the vapors
to your nostrils. The shape of the bowl is the most important factor.
Red Wine Glass
A large round bottomed bowl with a wide opening will help to aerate your red wine. This
will aid in the display of the wine’s aroma and bring out the
complexities of most red wines. The height of the glass will determine
the mouth feel of the wine. When you drink from a shorter glass, you
will experience the upfront qualities of the wine before the tannins
reach the back of your tongue. Try this as an experiment some time to
notice the difference between a tall wine glass versus a shorter one.
White Wine Glass
White
wine glasses tend to have a narrower bowl with less of a difference
between the bowl and the opening. This is because when you first sip a
white wine there is less need to “open up” the flavour, but rather to
concentrate the flavours from the tip of your tongue to the sides of
your mouth, emphasizing the wine’s fruity sweetness and acidity.
Champagne Flute
The
best glass to serve carbonated wines such as champagne is a tall,
narrow glass called the Flute. The narrow opening and diameter of the
bowl will help hold the bubbles and retain the cool temperature of
these wines. Meanwhile, the champagne saucer with its broad,
shallow design is often used for toasts at weddings. Although rumored
to be modeled after the shape of Marie Antoinette’s breasts, the
bubbles in the wine will soon dissipate in the saucer.
Other Wines
For
Port, Icewine & aperitifs, you will want a small portion glass with
a relatively wide body yet straight opening. This design helps to
direct the concentrated aromas of these intense wines to your nose as
you sip.
And
what if you had to select just one wine glass? You would best to
choose a Taster Glass just like the ones we have at Carafe WineMakers
when you bottle your wine. This elongated egg shape was specified by the
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) for optimizing the
sensory perception of wine so you can’t go wrong!