Just like coffee always tastes rounder when served in thick-rimmed diner mugs, wine gets a boost from the serving vessel too. It’s true, matching glassware to your wine does improve the flavour!
Of course, it’s possible to totally geek out on this subject. Be warned though, you might end up in a dark hole surrounded by hundreds of different types of wine glasses!
(I would know, I live in that dark hole).
So instead of slowly losing your mind to the silica goddess, here are the six main types of wine glasses and the wines to match with them.
Great for sparkling wines.
Did you know, flute glasses are not particularly popular right now in the world of high-end Champagne. This could be because flutes are not particularly good at expressing aromas, which is the appeal of extended tirage Champagne. Use a white wine or universal glass instead!
Great for “stainless steel” white wines where the focus is on delicate fruit and floral aromatics. Think wines like chenin blanc, torrontés and albariño.
Aroma Collectors are also known as “Burgundy Glasses.” This style does wonders with lighter-bodied red wines like pinot noir, but is also a great choice for oak-aged or oak-fermented chardonnay and rosé.
A fantastic all-around glass that works for just about any wine. That being said, we’ve observed standard glasses perform really well on spicy red wines like tempranillo and barbera and middle-weight whites like vermentino. This would be a great glass choice for a chef.
The oversized glass is also referred to as a “Bordeaux” glass.
This glass is an absolute must-have for the most opulent red wines. The large opening helps mitigate the tannin across your tongue, making wines taste smoother and more supple. Thus, this shape is a standout choice for bolder red wines such as cabernet sauvignon and touriga nacional.
Let’s be honest, you don’t really need a dessert wine glass. That is, unless you happen to love dessert wines! Dessert wine glasses are crafted to be a lot smaller in size and definitely help with portion control! This is good because many of the world’s top dessert wines are particularly high in alcohol.
Truthfully, you don’t really need all six types of glasses (unless you have an obsessive problem, like I do). You only really need one or two styles. Choose your glass based on the wine you drink most.
It’s easy to fall in love with the look of a glass only to discover it doesn’t work for you. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when choosing your type of wine glass:
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