Why So Many Wine Glasses

The Wine Not Files:

Why So Many Glasses?!

Alright, y'all. Let’s talk about all those glasses that you see on the shelves. Beyond the choice of stemless or with a stem, now we must contend with the shape of the bowl, the type of glass or crystal, who produces the glass, and on and on it goes. The biggest question among the average drinker is, “Does this really matter?”

The easiest way to start is at the beginning. The most common producer of wine glass is Riedel. Why? In the 1980’s Georg Riedel and Robert Mondavi met. The vision was that Riedel would create a glass that would complement Mondavi’s wines. As a result, those who tasted the wines from these glasses were amazed by the difference in taste. Conversely, Mondavi sold those Riedel glasses exclusively at his vineyard. The result? The beginning of a major U.S. presence for the Riedel glass company. From there, other glass manufacturers began to experiment with glass thickness, shape, height, and so on.

“Okay, James, you’ve given me the rundown, but you still haven’t answered my question if all of this really matters.” To tell you the truth, most wines can be enjoyed from a standard all-purpose glass. From there, your preference of stem length is up to you and what your goals are. When I say goals, I mean are you looking to have enough glasses for a bunch of friends to come over for drinks, or are you collecting different ones, experimenting with how each one reacts differently to the same wine, hosting pairings or tastings (hey, we do that!)?

Now to the real topic, why so many options? Well, it has to do with the amount of contact the wine has with the glass. A large bowl, known typically as a Burgundy glass, is for those delicate wines, like Pinot Noir. The Bordeaux glass (can you guess where I am going?) would be used for bigger, bolder red wines. A narrower glass is commonly used for lighter white wines or Rose’s. The flute we see today is known to be used for champagne or other sparkling wines. There are so many other factors that go into these choices, but I don’t have the time to explain it all. But really, even delicate bubbly wine can be enjoyed from an all-purpose glass, and surprisingly, you may enjoy it better that way. Heck, for those who love sake, a wine glass is actually the best way to drink it. So, experiment! Have fun with glasses! And for goodness' sake, don’t be one of those glass snobs that think you can only drink certain wines with certain glasses.

Salud!