Tony's Page

There are many shapes of glasses on the market today and it can get confusing which shape is best for which wine. One thing to remember is that the size of the glass is really more important than the shape. A good wine glass holds between
10oz. and 15oz. of wine. Now don’t go filling that up that glass! It’s best if you only fill the glass about a quarter full. This gives you space to swirl the wine in the glass, helping to release the aromas of the wine, yet leaves enough space in the bowl of the glass to capture all those volatile aromatics.

There are two main styles of wine glass shapes, those based on the classic Bordeaux stem and those that are more tulip shaped and based on the classic Burgundy stem. In general the Burgundy style works best with very aromatic reds, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, the Grenache and Syrah based Rhone blends for example while the classic Bordeaux stem is better suited to Cabernet and Bordeaux Varietal based wines, Sangiovese, and Shiraz.

While white wines have traditionally been served in smaller glasses it make sense to serve them in the bigger red wine stems for the same reasons you’re already using them for your reds. Use your burgundy stems for, well, white Burgundy and other Chardonnay based wines while your Bordeaux stem will be best for most other whites such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio.

One thing to keep in mind is that soap residue, off odors from the storage cabinet and even heavily chlorinated water from the tap can all have a large impact on your appreciation of a wine. Always check your glasses before using them, and if possible, give them a good rinse right before you taste with them. The best way to rinse your glasses is by “wining” them. That is just a fancy way of saying give them a rinse with a bit of wine. It’s a great way to rid the glass of any debris or odors that may interfere with your enjoyment of the wines to come.