SIMPLE STEMWARE GUIDELINES
February 7th, 2010
There are many interesting articles on the significance of specific stemware used to optimize & enhance the enjoyment of a particular wine. The options for the consumer appear endless, from bowl size, to glass color, to height of stem, the list goes on & on.
With all of this oversaturation of choice, the question arises as to just how much does the glass matter? Does an $80 glass necessarily make a wine taste better than a well-designed $8 glass? Additionally, is the $80 glass of great value if it sits polished in a cupboard for fear of being broken?
With the daunting task that can be associated with finding the perfect glass, here are some simple guidelines that seem reasonable to the everyday wine consumer…
COLOR – For starters, the glass should be clear. The visual aspect of wine plays a significant role in the tasting experience.
SHAPE – It’s been said that the shape of a wine glass influences the bouquet & taste of wine. At Airfield, we decided to test this theory by blind tasting a wine in a variety of different wine glass shapes. Depending on the glass, the wine displayed different characteristics. The differences were so great that some of us believed that we had been tasting different wines.
Typically, a narrower wine glass is used for whites as the shape concentrates the more delicate aromas. Larger, broader bowls are used for bold red wines with bigger bouquets. Finally, sparkling wines are best served in tall slender tulip glasses, as the visual enjoyment of the bubbles are enhanced by the narrow height of the glass.
SIZE – Another key point to consider when selecting the glass is choosing one of sufficient size. The bowl should be large enough to allow the desired amount of wine to be poured, while filling only 1/3 – 1/2 the bowl with wine. This ensures that the wine will be able to be swirled & the glass tilted to capture the aroma & inspect the color w/out wine being spilled.
With these simple guidelines in mind, it is important to remember that as much as many of the likes and dislikes associated with wine are a matter of personal taste and preference, the same ultimately applies to the glass in which it is served. The way the glass feels in hand and against the lips is a crucial part of the enjoyment factor.
A final thought on stemware – with all of the great choices available in today’s market, don’t buy a glass that can’t afford to be broken. As much as a corked bottle can prove to be a great disappointment so can an expensive broken glass.