Do Wine Glasses Make a Difference to the Wine?

Today there are many shapes and styles of wine glasses. It can be seriously intimidating when all you want to do is drink your favorite wine! So the question is, does it really make a difference what type of glass you have?

Some believe that it's the wine that matters, not the wine glass you're using. We are inclined to say BOTH matters.

We will let you decide after reading these quick and easy points to demystify the debate.

Wine experts believe that the design of the wine glass, like the shape, size of the bowl or the length of the stem affects the aroma of the wine. The smaller wine glasses increase the intensity of the wine, while the larger wine glass releases more of the aromatic density of the wine.

The Shape

Wine reacts when exposed to air as soon as you open and pour it. The wine's body, nose, and structure will evolve differently. It all depends on what glass it's being poured into or whether it has been decanted first.  

A taller Bordeaux wine glass works well with fuller bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc. This type of glass concentrates the aroma and guides the wine to the back of the mouth. While a Burgundy wine glass is designed for more delicate wines like Pinot Noir. This type of glass has a large bowl that helps milder aromas to accumulate. Interesting right? Here I thought the bigger bowl was to conveniently hold more wine.

The Nose

A large bowl is required to fully appreciate red wines’ complexity. The wine can easily be swirled without spilling to help expose the wine to the air and release crucial aromas. Intended wine glasses for red wines are those with a wider rim, the larger the opening the greater the exposure to the air. When you allow wine to aerate, it will transform the structure, breakdown the tannins and improve the bouquet. The glass rim acts like a vent that helps trap the wine’s bouquet within the glass. Oooh yummy! This is where the fun is at. Is it chocolate and black pepper you smell?

The Taste

The shape and size of the glass influence the wine's taste. A wine glass with a wide opening allows the wine's aroma to reach the nose while you sip. This adds to the whole joyous occasion of drinking wine!

How to Choose your Wine Glasses

Let's be honest here, delicious wine is good in just about anything. Drink it out of a bucket if you will. BUT, you want to treat it nicely right? Give it a little bit of TLC. Invest in a few larger bowl glasses that are better for red wines and smaller bowls that are ideal for white wines. If you are a “Bubbles” kind of person, then champagne flutes are a must have.

We hope that this helps demystify the debate between which glass is right for what and if it makes a difference. Our tip, choose what you love to drink from, short, tall, round or thin. If you are a wine aficionado and have some bucks to spare then buy all the glasses your heart desires.

Cheers!

P.S We got a few of our tips from the trusty Wine Experts Guide.