Types of Wine Glasses

Common Features

Like the soil and sun that nurture their vineyards, all wine glasses are forged from common elements - a base that allows the glass to stand; a stem that lets you caress your chosen blend; and a bowl that both puts your wine on display and lets you partake of her enchanting aroma.

Red Wine Glasses
	Like over-filled and ready-to-break water balloons, red wine glasses feature bowls that are wider at the bottom and which seductively curve towards a narrower lip. The fish-bowl-like design directs bordeaux, merlot, shiraz or cabernet toward the back of your mouth so that you can roll the red wine gently over your tongue, enjoying the full aroma of its fragrance before swallowing.

White Wine Glasses

Unlike red wine glasses, white wine glasses feature slender, narrow bowls that burst upward like tulips announcing the dawn of spring. The design keeps white wines like pinot grigio, white zinfandel and sauvignon blanc cool and crisp.

When buying white wine glasses, look for taller bowls that let the bold taste of white wines hit the back of your tongue with a refreshing smack.

Sparkling Wine Glasses

When choosing sparkling wine glasses, look for tall, slender and extremely narrow trumpet-like glasses. Champagne flutes are the most recognizable type of sparkling wine glass.

They are purposely designed differently to alert drinkers to the bubbling nature of the wine. Like the events which sparkling wines are often paired with, their elegant design allows the foam to rise quickly through the narrow bowl in a beautiful display of celebratory bliss.

Dessert Wine Glasses

Soft and scrumptious, dessert wine glasses are the sweet aftertaste to a savory meal. From intricately beveled crystal to smooth and simple glass, dessert wine glasses are as varied as the ravishing desserts they accompany. However, there are common themes that all dessert wine glasses share.

When shopping, buy glasses that feature smaller bowls with shorter stems and delicate bases. These types of wine glasses gently direct smaller amounts of sweet, smooth, and sometimes thicker, wine to the back of your tongue to be softly rolled before swallowing.

Stock your wine bar with these four types of wine glasses, break out some aged cheese and crisp crackers and treat yourself and your guests to a enjoyable evening.