Wine Glasses: Demystified

Chris Turyk - I love wine, a lot. I’m a Certified Sommelier, WSET Diploma graduate, and get in everyones way at unsworthvineyards.

To keep things simple I examine three quick details before choosing a stem.

Firstly is the alcohol content. Glassware with a more narrow bowl and wider rim diameter will allow more ambient airflow thus quelling the perception of booze in a high alcohol wine. This can be important if you want more of the fruit aromas to show through and not the warming aroma of alcohol. Try smelling vodka out of a martini glass vs a brandy snifter and you’ll see what I mean. If you are a fan of reds from warmer climates, chances are they will have elevated alcohol, these show well out of classic shaped red wine glasses. These are generally larger tulip shaped glasses and can vary slightly in rim diameter. Merlot, Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and the like, are at home here.

Secondly is the aromatic intensity of the wine. Generally more aromatically intense red wines are served in glasses with a wider bottom of the bowl with a more narrow rim diameter. Examples being, Gamay, Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. Pinot is renowned for its bright fruit aromas and complexity of other ‘non-fruit’ aromas. These are more apparent in a wider bottomed glass with a narrow rim. Hence the advent of the Burgundy and New World Pinot Noir glasses. The shape allows the wine to be swirled in order to coax more aromas from the wine whilst keeping them from dissipating before one can have a good sniff. Don’t forget that the vast amount of flavours discerned from a wine are due to the nose and not palate alone. SMELL IT!

My third rule of thumb is slightly more ambiguous but can certainly be the most important. What are you looking to get out of the wine? Considering how various glass shapes and sizes impact the perception of a wine can be tailored to caress wines into showcasing different characteristics. For example, you purchase a Pinot Noir and put it in a Pinot Noir glass. That stands to reason doesn’t it? What you didn’t account for is 14.7% alcohol and upon smelling it, you notice it isn’t quite as aromatic as you expected. The alcohol could be dominating your senses resulting in the wine showing a little numb or quiet. You then decide to try it out of a glass more suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon, and voila, the alcohol has a place to go other than up your nose and the aromas reveal themselves. In this specific example you could also bring the temperature of the wine down a few degrees to calm the perception of alcohol, but that is a story for another day. Have fun, drink up (responsibly), remember that wine is about inclusion, and is best served amongst friends.