The Best Wine Glass

There’s nothing quite like putting up your feet and sipping on your favorite Chardonnay or Merlot after a long day. Wine adds an air of class to the most mundane evenings, or it helps you kick up your heels with a group of friends during the weekend. The one accessory you definitely need to enjoy your Pinot noir: a gorgeous set of wine glasses. 

You can drink wine from any old glass (or bucket) if getting tipsy is the goal, but you’ll need a more thoughtful approach if you really want to enjoy your vino’s scent and flavor profile. 

There are almost as many types of wine glasses as there are types of wine. Some wine connoisseurs prefer stemmed glasses over more modern, stemless designs. They claim that holding a stemless glass can warm up the wine inside, altering the taste. However, stemless glasses are a lot harder to knock over. They’re your best friend if you have lots of white carpet you’d like to protect.

The most important feature of any wine glass is the shape of the vessel. This determines how much air your wine is exposed to, how it collects your wine’s aromas and how much wine will fall into your mouth per sip. 

If you love red wine, shop for glasses with wider openings. This opens up the wine to more air, which helps the ethanol evaporate a bit for a smoother taste. More air also gives the aromas in your wine more room to dance, so you’ll enjoy a fuller, richer flavor profile. 

White wine fans should be on the lookout for bowl-shaped vessels with smaller openings. These glasses let in less air, preserving white wine’s cooler temperature and delicate floral aromas. 

There are specific glasses within each of these categories, like extra-large Bordeaux glasses and narrow champagne flutes, but these general guidelines for whites and reds will help you sip smarter every time. 

Once you’ve decided you’re ready to invest in your own wine glasses, take a look at our Tips & Advice for specifics on picking your perfect set.

• Think about how your wine glasses will fit in with the rest of your home decor before you buy. Stemless wine glasses can contribute to the modern feel of sleek kitchens and minimalist furniture. Stemmed wine glasses harmonize well with oak furniture or older homes. 
• Do you have any young kids or pets at home? If so, you’ll want to look for stemless wine glasses. They’re much harder to knock over, so they’ll last longer in an active household. 
• Do you prefer red wines, whites or a combination of both? Some wine glasses are built with wider vessel openings, which are more appropriate for red wines. Others have smaller openings, which help keep white wines cool. There are even some sets that double your value with a combination of red and white wine glasses. Think about what types of vino you like to drink and serve before you buy. 
• Take note of how much storage space you have in your kitchen cabinets. You’ll be pretty frustrated if you open up your box of new wine glasses and discover that they’re too tall for your shelves. You might also want to invest in some accessories to help you protect your wine glasses. You can hang them upside down in your cabinets with the help of a wine glass storage rack, pick up a wall-mounted rack at a home goods store or keep them in a stemware case. 
• Check and see if the wine glasses you’ve got your eye on are dishwasher safe. Some people don’t mind setting aside a little extra time to hand wash more delicate glasses, but if you despise standing at the sink like that, opt for a dishwasher-friendly set. 
• Wine glasses come in a range of capacities, ranging from about 15 – 18 ounces. If you like to sidle up to a cheese plate with a nice, heavy pour, go for one of the larger sizes.
• Decide if you’d prefer wine glasses made from crystal or glass before you start shopping. The crystal in crystal wine glasses contains minerals, which strengthens the wine glass. This means that crystal wine glasses can be thin yet durable. However, crystal glasses often contain trace amounts of lead. They’re great for special occasions, but they must be hand washed. Glass wine glasses are always lead-free and they’re often dishwasher safe, so they’re better for everyday use. They’re also significantly less expensive.