TYPES OF GLASSES

Monday November 22nd, 2021

SHAPE MATTERS

The glass in which we’re going to enjoy our wine will condition its aromas, flavour, balance and taste. Amazingly, the same wine served in different glasses can express something completely different.

The main function of the glass is to let the wine to develop itself, so the aromas can go in the right way, as well as in mouth.

If we choose the glass depending on the grape variety or the type of wine we are going to drink, this will influence dramatically in our own perception of three different characteristics of a wine:

  • Smell: it will respect the varietal aromas, boosting its intensity
  • Body: it will highlight the wine texture in the palate, boosting different sensations of lightness, tanicity, etc.
  • Tasting: it will boost balance sensation, focusing the wine flavors towards the best way to taste it

In order to enjoy a good wine, we’ll also need, therefore, a good glass that can fit well and boost the main aspects of it.

 

PARTS OF THE GLASS

We can distinguish 3 different parts in a glass:

  • Ball: its shape and size will depend on the type of wine that we’re going to drink. The diameter of the ‘mouth’, or even the cut of the glass, will condition what our nouse or tongue perceives.
  • Stem: its length will determine the aesthetic of the glass. Long stems are usually identified as more elegant glasses, while short stems (or even without it) would be for more informal occasions.
  • Foot or Base: in the same way, it will define the architecture of the glass, but doesn´t influence directly on the wine tasting.

These are the key elements that will always be presented in harmony and proportion between height, wideness and the ball size.

 

KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Depending on the wine that we will take, while choosing a glass we should have to consider these next relevant aspects:

  • Size & Shape
    • Red: wide glass with big ball, which allows the wine to oxygen. The bottom will be  wide and rounded, closing in the ‘mouth’.
    • White: the ball will often be smaller and thinner, in order to maintain the wine temperature and aromas.
    • Sparkling: narrow and elongated glasses, to protect the bubbles
  • Glass Opening:it has to be wide enough so you can bring it close to nose and smell it correctly. If it has a close opening, the wine will focus at the end of our mouth. Meanwhile, if it has a wide opening, the wine will attack the front part of our tongue. As it is well known, the tongue detects different flavors in different areas, and therefore it is so important when choosing the glass
  • Material y thickness: as thinner the glass is, the better (normally it would be 1mm).
  • Color: to taste the wine, we’ll use transparent glasses, not to detract wine colors or visual details.

SOME ADVICE

  • If you’re going to taste, don´t fill the glass too much, just with 1/3 of its volume will be enough for it, and you will avoid dropping the wine while moving the glass.
  • Hold the glass from the steem or the base, never from the glass ball, because you will increase the wine temperature with your hands.
  • If you are going to taste a wine with high content of alcohol, it’s preferable to choose a bigger glass with wider opening, in order to avoid the alcohol impact.
  • If you don´t know which one to choose… choose the Bordeaux.