How to Choose Wine Glasses

You do not need a different glass for every grape. You need glasses that suit how you drink and how you host. Here is how to choose them.

The parts of a glass

A wine glass has a bowl, a stem and a foot. The bowl holds the wine and gathers its aroma. The stem gives you a place to hold the glass without warming the wine. The foot keeps it standing. Most of the differences between glasses come down to the size and shape of the bowl, and whether there is a stem at all.

Red or white

Glasses for red wine have a wider bowl. More of the wine meets the air, which helps the aroma open. Glasses for white wine are a little smaller and narrower, which helps the wine stay cool and keeps the aroma closer to the rim.

If you only want one set, choose a medium bowl. It will serve red and white well, and it is the glass most homes reach for anyway.

Stemmed or stemless

This is the choice that matters most day to day.

• Stemmed glasses keep your hand away from the bowl, so the wine holds its temperature and the glass stays free of fingerprints. They are easier to swirl and they dress a table. A set of six amber wine glasses has a tall, slender stem and a warm tint that sits well next to wood, linen and candlelight.
• Stemless glasses are steadier on the table, fit in any cabinet and are less likely to be knocked over. They suit informal dinners and big gatherings. The stemless wine glass set has twelve glasses, six shaped for red and six for white, and they are dishwasher safe.

Many homes end up with both: stemmed for the table, stemless for everything else.

How big

A standard pour of wine is about 5 oz. A glass should hold much more than that, so there is room to swirl without spilling. Pour to the widest part of the bowl and stop there.

Clear or colored

Clear glass shows the color of the wine, which is part of the pleasure for many people. Tinted glass, such as amber, gives the table color of its own. Choose clear if you like to look at what you are drinking, and tinted if the glasses are part of how you set the table.

For outdoors

Glass and patios do not always mix. Insulated stainless steel wine tumblers with lids hold 12 oz each and come in six colors, so guests can tell their drinks apart.

How many to own

Count the seats at your table and add two. Glasses break, and an extra guest should not get a coffee mug. Six covers most dinners. If you host larger groups a few times a year, a second, sturdier set of twelve is worth the cabinet space.

How to care for them

• Check the care line on the product page. Some glasses go in the dishwasher. Stemmed glasses usually last longer when washed by hand.
• Wash with warm water and a little soap, and hold the glass by the bowl, not the stem, while you wash it.
• Dry with a lint-free cloth to avoid water spots.
• Store glasses upright, with a little space between them.

Serving

Temperature changes a wine more than the glass does. Serve white wine chilled and red wine slightly below room temperature. A rechargeable electric wine opener with an aerator pourer and vacuum stoppers takes care of opening, pouring and saving the rest of the bottle.

Setting up the rest of the bar? Read how to set up a home bar, or see how to set a Thanksgiving table.

Looking for a present for a wine lover? Our home bar gifts guide has ideas for wine, whiskey and cocktails.

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