Holiday Edition Question: Does my wine glass really matter?
A: Wine lovers and professionals alike have long been told that specific wine glassware is essential to optimize certain vinous characteristics. Yes, some shapes may actually enhance your perception of wines and improve your overall experience (particularly for Burgundy or Bordeaux wines), but truthfully, different glassware really just helps to offer visual pleasure and emphasize an occasion.
Wine Spectator wrote a small excerpt in 2020 on the wine glassware matter stating that as long as the diameter of the non stem part of a glass, called the cuppa or bowl, is wider than its opening, the effect on aroma and flavor perception is in fact minimal.
Hildegarde Heymann, Ph.D., a sensory scientist in the Viticulture and Enology department at University of California, Davis, also arrived at that conclusion based on people tasting the same type of wine in two different glasses, as well as people drinking multiple styles of wine out of the same glass. There will be “nuances,” she says, but not much overall difference.
In short, what really matters is how you care for your wine prior to opening (more tips on this to come). For those who don’t want to store an array of glassware styles, we highly recommend investing in a top-quality ‘universal’ wine glassware set. This style of glassware was created to suit all wines, just fine!
Lastly, our number 1 rule always: enjoy your wine out of any glassware vessel that you prefer. Simple as that!
A brand of glassware we love is Schott Zwiesel.
Schott Zwiesel machine-made TritanTM Crystal glassware uses a formula that replaces lead with zirconium for added brilliance and titanium for strength. Recognized internationally as the world’s best crystal, the laser polished rims and balance in the hand heightens the wine’s profile and your tasting experience. This crystal glass minimizes surface scratching and fractures, making it not only dishwasher safe, but unrivaled for its elegant design.
PRODUCT FEATURES: Dishwasher Safe, Brilliant Clarity, Break Resistant, TritanTM Crystal Glass
