Selecting matching wine glasses for your wines is a great way to kick start a perfect wine experience! In this section, we explore the types of wine glasses out there and how to choose the suitable wine glasses. Wine glasses are not used to hold the wines simply for their good looks. In fact, there are so many different and sometimes rather fancy types of wine glass shapes out there. While all of them look classy, elegant and perfectly justified for your cellared elixirs, the differences in the shapes and sizes are there for a reason. We normally find white wine glassware smaller in size than the red wine glassware. It is because red wines are more commonly fuller in body and exhibit developed aromas and flavours. These characteristics make the larger-sized glasses preferable as we can swirl the red wine generously and allow air contact to open up the wine. White wines showing bright and fruity personality do very well already in smaller glasses.
ISO (International Standards Organization) glasses are tulip-shaped, they are designed for all-purpose wine tasting, and are commonly used for wine sensory evaluation. Flute and tulip-shaped glasses are tall and thin, designed for sparkling wines in order to keep bubbles intact for longer. White wine glasses classically have long stems to prevent hand contact and warming of wine and a relatively smaller bowl to capture and concentrate the white wine aromas. Red wine glasses have large bowls to allow enough space for wine swirling. Both Bordeaux and Burgundy are red wine glassware, but Burgundy displays a larger and rounder bowl to allow even further oxygen contact with the wine.
Let us also take a look at the wine serving temperatures. Different types of wines are served at different temperatures due to the differences in their nature. A full- bodied red cannot fully express itself if served too cold, while an aromatic white will lose its juicy freshness if tasted at warm temperature. When it comes to serving your wines at the ideal temperatures, again we shall bear in mind these recommendations are to be used only as references. Whatever temperature that suits the occasion and your preference is going to be the best one. If you love having all your wines well-chilled in a fine summer afternoon, then, by all means, do so!
Recommended wine serving temperatures:
All sparkling wines
Serve well-chilled
6-10°C (43-50°F)
Light to medium-bodied white wines such as Pinot Gris and unoaked Chardonnay
Serve chilled 7-10°C (45-50°F)
Medium/full-bodied whites such as oaky and buttery Chardonnay
Best served lightly chilled 10-13°C (50-55°F).
Light-bodied red wines (a fruit-driven Pinot Noir or Beaujolais)
Serve lightly chilled 13°C (55°F)
Medium to big reds
Serve at room temperature 15-18°C (59-64°F).
