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You’ve finished making your own wine and now want to serve it – but do you know which glass to serve it in to maximize its flavor? With wine glasses, size and shape does matter.
In general, red wine glasses are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, which increases the rate of oxidation. As the oxygen from the air chemically interacts with the wine, flavor and aroma are subtly altered. The height and bowl of the glass help direct the wine to the back of the mouth giving you a better tasting experience. White wine glasses, on the other hand, generally have thinner, smaller bowls, which preserve a crisp, clean flavor while keeping the sparkling wine desirable during consumption.
Here’s a short guide to wine glasses to help you prepare for your next wine tasting party (and links to get you started on making your own):
Pinot Noir – The pinot noir glass is designed for fruit-forward noirs. The glass has a wide bowl and a turned out rim, which allows for the drinker to direct the intense flavors immediately to the palette. The stem of the Pinot Noir glass will also have a shorter stem then other red wines.
Chardonnay – These glasses have a wide bowl and a slightly tapered top. Chardonnays with good acidity thrive in oversize bowls, which allow plenty of air into the glass to coax out its nuanced flavors. Chardonnay glasses also tend to have a longer stem to allow you to keep the wine as cool as possible while drinking.
Sauvignon Blanc – The perfect Sauvignon Blanc glass will be tall and slim, offering the freshness and aromas of the wine on the nose. The narrow glass along with a tapered top concentrates aromas.
Burgundy – These wines are best served in tapered glasses that swell in the middle allowing the bouquet to develop fully. Try making your own burgundy wine with our at home wine making kit.
Stemless White Wine – Stemless glassware has a casual appeal that many people like and actually works in the drinkers favor. While holding the stemless glass you are inadvertently warming the wine, which will help unleash its flavors.
Rosé– The flared rim directs wine to the top of the tongue, to temper acidity, while the moderate width was designed to emphasize the fruity aspect of the rosé.
Syrah – The Syrah glass was designed for rich new-world reds; it tends to be smaller than the other red wine glasses. The wide shape bowl allows for the fruit aroma to be presented first to the drinker followed by the tannin flavors.
Champagne – The champagne glass is usually a tall, slender glass designed to concentrate the bubbles of a liquid on the tip of the tongue. The shape conveys the rich scent of the Champagne immediately upon sipping; the wide base of the champagne flute provides stability to the glass.
Port – Due to the sugars, high level of alcohol and intense taste of port, the port glass is finely tuned with a small and slender shape. This style of glass helps mask the overwhelming alcohol odors emitted and instead focus on the bouquet on the subtle oak and other prevalent flavors.
Want more information on making your own wine? Narrow down your choices and pick the right wine for you with our wine selector tool.