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• Engraved Glasses
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• Personalized Beer Mugs

If you have every searched for a set of wine glasses in a housewares or department store, you have probably been met with a dizzying array of glasses in all shapes and sizes. Some are tall and straight, some rounded with a narrow lip and even some with no stem. Have you ever wondered why there are so many types of wine glasses? There is a lot more to it than just style. Here are several common glasses and the reasons behind their shape.

The champagne glass is easy to spot. It is always tall with straight sides and a narrow opening. The reason that champagne glasses are shaped like this is all about the bubbles. Champagne is naturally carbonated in the bottle by a secondary yeast fermentation. The carbonation begins to dissipate when the champagne is exposed to the air and the bubbles begin to disappear. The tall narrow shape of the champagne glass minimizes the surface area of the beverage that is exposed to the air and thereby keeps more of the carbonation in the glass for longer periods of time.

Another common wine glass shape is the “tulip” shape, also called a Bordeaux glass. This glass has a rounded bowl and narrows as it gets to the lip. The rounded bowl allows swirling of the wine which is essential especially in older red wines in order to release the scent or the “nose” of the wine. The narrow lip concentrates the nose so that the drinker gets the full experience.

A smaller version of this style of glass is often used for white wines. White wines do not need as much “opening up” of the nose as they often are not stored as long as reds and, in and case, do not contain as many tannins and other substances that benefit from airing.

Older and more bold red wines are often served in large-bowled glasses with a straight rim to allow more of the wine to react with the oxygen. These wines do not need any help with the nose and the wide rim allows for more swirling.

A very old style wine glass that has once again become popular and chic is the stemless wine glass. In many European countries, wine is served with the evening meal often and plain stemless glasses are often used. While that is a time-honored tradition, it does not do the wine itself any favors. The stem of a wine glass is for more than just show. It keeps the hands away from the sides of the glass. A hand wrapped around a wineglass can raise the temperature of the wine by several degrees quickly. Both reds and whites should be served at a certain temperature to highlight their best characteristics. Drinking them warmer than intended can cause the wine to taste off or at least not the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

While there are practical reasons for the shapes of wine glasses, in the end, it’s important to choose the glass that you feel most comfortable with and that shows off the best of the wine that is inside.