3 Basic Styles Of Wine Glasses

While you can drink your wine from any glass, from a red plastic cup to a goblet made from the finest crystal, each kind of wine has a glass that goes along with it. The point behind those glasses is to let each type of wine taste and look its best. There are many kinds of wine glasses, but unless you have a wine bar, you really don't need to have a stock of all the styles. There are a few common styles of wine glasses that should work for anyone.   

Red Wine Glasses

This style of glass tends to be the biggest of the wine glasses. The bowl of a red wine glass is generally full and rounded. The reason for this is that red wines tend to need more aeration before they are served. A wider bowl allows the air to contact a greater surface of the wine. A taller bowl will allow you to swirl the wine around, releasing the aroma of the wine, which enhances the taste. Red wine glasses come in several styles because different red wines have different bodies, which need different sizes of glass. In general, a red wine glass that is designed to go with a medium-bodied wine will work for all reds. 

White Wine Glasses

These glasses tend to have a longer stem and a narrower bowl. The bowl should be U-shaped, unlike a red wine glass which tends to look egg-shaped. Since white wines don't need the same aeration as red wines, the narrower bowl suits them quite well. The longer stem is because white wines should be chilled, and the longer the stem, the less likely it is that your hand will warm up the bowl of the glass and your wine. 

Sparkling Wine Glasses

Whether you are drinking champagne, prosecco, or another sparkling wine, you will use the same kind of glass. They are generically called a flute. The bowl is tall and narrow so that it will hold the carbonation of the wine in the drink. That carbonation is part of the flavor of sparkling wine. 

Having the right kind of wine glass can enhance any wine's flavor. No matter what type, wine glasses can also make perfect gifts to people for many different occasions. Dates, names, and other sayings can be engraved into the glass, making them a great way to memorialize any event. 

Contact a local wine glass company, such as You Go My Sister, to learn more.