You might not have given the shape of your wine glass a second thought, but you wouldn’t serve a gin and tonic in a beer glass or a whisky in a flute, would you? Getting the right glass for wine is crucial, and if you want your wine tasting its best and if you are going to splash out on vino, make sure your guests are getting the best from your bottles.

Best Glasses for Red Wine Tasting
These are typically larger than white wine glasses. The length of the bowl of the glass (where the wine sits) should be longer. This allows the flavours to be coaxed out by mixing with air as it runs the distance of the glass to your lips. Red wine glasses will also have a wider opening or “mouth” to the bowl of the glass. This means more ethanol can evaporate, taking the sharpness away which in turn helps the wine taste smoother.

A tall and wide glass suits medium- to full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends and Merlots. A shorter and thinner glass is best paired with full-bodied wines containing high tannin and alcohol levels such as a Shiraz, Malbec, Petite Sirah or Tannat. Light and delicate wines such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, Zweigelt or St. Laurent sit best in short and wide-bottomed glasses, as the flavours are already palatable and need not be exaggerated by the glass.

Best Glasses for White Wine Tasting
Smaller glasses are better for white wines for a number of reasons. Mainly, they better preserve cooler temperatures, keeping the wine closer to the ideal drinking temperature for longer. Smaller glasses are also better for picking out the floral and fruity notes more common in whites. As some of the aroma is lost at a cooler temperature, the small glass also helps to concentrate the smell.

The exceptions to this rule are older or full-bodied white wines, orange wines or vintage sparkling wines. These require a slightly larger bowl and wider mouth to facilitate the delivery of flavour. The glasses used for these are sometimes called “Montrachet” glasses.

Best Glasses for Sparkling and Specialty Wine Tasting
You may also need another set for other types of wine for other occasions. For sparkling wine, the traditional long, thin flute is best. It keeps it cool and stops the bubbles dissipating. Though if you want to bring a touch of the roaring twenties to your party, opt for champagne “coupes”, more commonly known as champagne saucers. Port and other high-alcohol wines require much smaller glasses with narrow mouths to stop the alcohol evaporating from the glass. Sherry can sit in a conical, open-mouthed glass to send the sweet notes to your nose.

You will of course have your favourite wine, and it may be worth picking up a set of glasses to be used for that and wines like it. You may even want to splash out for a crystal set. However, other than the aesthetic sparkle of a crystal glass, there are no other bonuses when compared with a glassware set. In fact, a glassware set will likely be more durable, and best of all, you can put them in the dishwasher!

As for food to go with your wine, you can peruse our different menus conceived by our private chefs here.