The Right Wine Glass - Which Glass For Which Wine?

Wine has to breathe and needs space in the glass to develop. So pour, allow it a bit of air, then raise your glasses for a toast. Listen for a light ping. If this is the case, you've cleared the most important hurdle and are treating the glass correctly. If, on the other hand, you hear a dull plonk, resolve to learn more and read on.

Which glass is correct?

If you've been thinking about buying new wine glasses lately, you will have noticed that there are as many glasses as there are types of wine. But is it really necessary to have so many glasses? We are of the firm opinion that you don't have to have glasses precisely matched to the grape varietal. And you probably don't have enough space for that much glassware! A selection of two types of red and white wine glasses as well as a champagne or sparkling wine glass is sufficient.

The rule of thumb when buying

When buying glasses, keep the following rule of thumb in mind: The more powerful and younger a red wine is, the better it will taste in a large glass. With slightly lighter, more aromatic wines, a thick belly creates more oxygen contact and allows the wine to develop its aroma. This also applies to white wine, where the glasses are usually a bit smaller. In the case of sparkling wines, remember that the glass influences the behaviour of the carbon dioxide.

5 glasses:

• Bordeaux glass: For strong and tannic red wines
• Burgundy glass: For aromatic, fruity red wines
• Chardonnay glass: For strong white wines
• Riesling glass: For light, aromatic white wines
• Champagne and sparkling wine glasses

Well-known manufacturers of high-quality glasses:

• Zalto - the highest-quality hand-blown glasses
• Riedel - the glass pioneer
• Spiegelau - classics from Germany
• Sophienwald - a fantastic quality newcomer from Austria