Many wine connoisseurs have been to wine tastings, but not too many have been to a “wine glass tasting”. Instead of tasting and comparing different wines, You are tasting the same wine from different wine glasses.

This experience is an eye-opener to many. Most famous for its wine glass tastings is Riedel. Riedel is producing varietal specific glasses. Their approach is that every variety deserves a specially shaped glass in order to express itself fully. 

It can seem as an exaggeration because there can be more than considerable differences between particular wines made from the same grape variety, but there is no doubt that certain shapes are better for enjoying certain types of wine.

Using the right glass improves the taste of wine and it is not cheating if you are using a proper glass. Glasses don’t change the wine. Wine glass is a tool enabling you to fully absorb all the wine has to offer.

This tool is worth a fortune to you if you know how to use it, but it doesn’t need to cost you a fortune. Although there are some quite obsessed wine glass enthusiasts out there, even they will agree you can cover the majority of wines with four types of wine glasses:

1. A “standard” white wine glass, smaller in volume, is great for the majority of young white wines and most rose wines, sweet wines and even a sparkling wine. It will preserve the primary fruitiness and elevate freshness. It is definitely better for sparkling than the widespread “flutes”, especially if you are interested in the substance and not only bubbles and looking good in photos. 
2. A “wider” white wine glass, also known as the Chardonnay (or Montrachet) glass, with a larger bowl, designed to increase the air exposure in order for a structured and full-bodied white wine to open up. This wine glass can also work for orange wines and some sweet wines.
3. A red Burgundy wine glass is very important because it is very suitable not only for the majority of subtle aromatic reds but also for many aged whites or orange wines. It is usually more round with more space to collect the aromas and forward them to the nose thanks to a narrower top. There is an expression saying you can enjoy a Bordeaux from a Burgundy glass, but you cannot enjoy a Burgundy from a Bordeaux glass.
4. A red Bordeaux wine glass, designed almost exclusively for full-bodied reds with higher alcohol and tannin levels in order to deliver the aromatic impact straight to your nose.

If four types of glasses are too much, there are even some serious producers offering a “universal” wine glass, but we recommend having at least a “standard” white wine glass and a red Burgundy wine glass. They can make all the difference. 

Nenad Trifunovic My Wine List

Professional Wine drinker ;)

Moderator of a series of wine workshops and educator of wine course (Wine Reading), promoter of table culture and wine writer, most famous as an author of the most influential Croatian wine blog (vinopija.com).