Glass Class

When drinking wine, the glass you drink it from can make all the difference in the world...or so I'm told. As an amateur wine drinker I didnt know there was so many different types of glasses and the "proper" usage for the wine you are drinking. So I welcome you to Glass Class :)

Lets start by looking at the different shapes and styles of glasses and which wine is best paired with the style of glass. But before we can we need to know the terms for the parts of a wine glass.

Ok now that we have that out of the way we can begin.

Standard Red:

Bigger, bolder reds require bigger bowls in order to really aerate and allow for the full bodied flavor to be experienced like Syrah or Malbec, especially if they are younger wines.

You would want to use a more narrow bowl if you wanted to experience the sweet, rich, notes.

With this style of glass you are wanting to experience the wine in the middle of the tongue and on the sides.

Chardonnay:

Broader and more shallow than a standard red wine glass, this glass allows for more oxidization. Typically white wines are served best a little oxidized and take on a complexity and allow for the aromas to be more presented. These aromas are usually brought about by oak aging, and can have a fruity vanilla, smoke taste.

Lighter white wines that are crisper, you want less oxidation so glasses with narrower bowls would be ideal.

With this style you want to experience the wine on the tip of the tongue, rather than the middle or sides.

Burgundy:

For this type of wine you want a wide bowl but narrow mouth. This allows the nuance of aromas to become concentrated and adds depth of flavor to more delicate wines. This type of glass not only works well for Red Burgundies, but other full body wines as well.

With this style of glass you are really wanting to experience the wine on the tip of the tongue.



Sparkling:

Typically this style of glass is known as a Champagne Flute. They are tall, thin glasses. They have really long stems that are meant to keep the heat from ones hands from warming the Wine or the Champagne. The tall bowls are meant to help make the bubbles travel further helping to enhance the wine and the look.

With this style of glass you will experience the wine on the tip of the tongue.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

This is more considered an all purpose glass. It allows the blending of flavor and smell. It allows oxidation as well as the ability to swirl. Think of it as the "swiss army knife" of glasses.

With this type of glass you experience the wine more on the back of the tongue or in the finish.

White:

White wine glasses are smaller than red. They are more slender and compact. Since white wines are typically young and are to be drank within a short time after bottling, they do not need a larger bowl. These slender glasses allow for the aromas and nuances to blend well and provide the drinker with a fresher experience.

This type of glass you experience the wine in the middle and sides of the tongue. 

Large Bordeaux:

A Bordeaux is a taller more slender glass with a narrow bowl. These types of glasses offer more real estate for wines of all ages to show their full potential.

This type of glass you experience the wine in the back of the mouth.

Pinot:

Like a Burgundy, this glass provides a large space for the flavors of a Pinot Noir to be expressed. The narrowing at the top allows for the flavors to be focused toward the front of the mouth. This is the style of glass you want for fruity reds or dry wines.

This type of glass you experience the wine in the front of the mouth. It allows the bouquet of aromas and nuances of flavors to be more appreciated.


So that pretty much wraps up glass class. Who knew that there were so many different types of glasses and their pairing with wines. But even on the road of learning you find out so many new things. I currently at the time of writing this only have a Standard Red, A Pinot, and a Burgundy glass. It looks like there are more to be added to my ever growing, yet humble collection.

~Cheers