Best wine glasses for red, white and sparkling
The best wine glass will elevate the sipping experience — Photo courtesy of Instants / E+
I’ve always been aware that wine glasses are shaped and designed for specific types of wine. I assumed, however, that in practice, the nuances were probably too subtle for a layperson to appreciate. I figured that as much as I love vino, my palette couldn’t be sophisticated enough to notice the difference. I was wrong.
I recently participated in a glass-tasting experience led by sommelier Nicole Haarklau of Coury Hospitality at Hotel Vin, Autograph Collection’s wine cave in Grapevine, Texas. It was eye-opening to learn how the different types of wine glasses affect how we sip and taste wine. We share Haarklau’s top tips and recommendations here.
What are the three main types of wine glasses?
Red, white, and sparkling wine glasses can impact how each wine tastes — Photo courtesy of Coury Hospitality
While anyone can drink wine from whatever type of glass they prefer, there are three main types of wine glasses — red, white, and sparkling.
When you serve wine in different vessels, it develops new bouquets and flavors in each type of glass. It’s like a magic trick, but Haarklau says it isn’t magic at all. It’s science.
“Each part of the glass — the base, the stem, the bowl shape, and the mouthpiece — is manipulated to enhance the wine the glass is intended for,” she says.
What are the best wine glasses for white wine?
The best wine glass for chardonnay depends on whether it’s oaked or unoaked — Photo courtesy of Coury Hospitality
It’s not as simple as picking one type of glass for white wines and one for red wines. It goes deeper, down to varietal and even how the wine is made.
Take chardonnay. Haarklau says the best glass shape for oaked chardonnay is a larger glass with a broader bowl and softer contours, like the Riedel Extreme Oaked Chardonnay Glass. The design reveals the wine’s multi-layered aromas and enhances its complexity, while the extreme angles allow oaked chardonnays to develop a nuanced character. In addition, she says the wide, open-mouthed bowl balances finesse and prevents the wine’s richness from becoming overpowering.
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For unoaked white wine, Haarklau suggests glasses with a gently rounded, angular bowl, such as the Riedel Extreme Riesling Glass.
“This shape is designed to balance the high acidity and fresh characteristics often found in unoaked wines,” she says. “The angles of the bowl provide ample space for the aromas to develop and where it hits your palate, emphasizing the wine’s bright fruit notes and mineral components while ensuring a crisp, well-rounded tasting experience.”
Best wine glasses for red wine
The best wine glass for pinot noir has a wide, rounded bowl — Photo courtesy of Coury Hospitality
Haarklau says you should turn to a wine glass with a large, round bowl and minimal angles if you love to sip cabernet or merlot, like the Bruntmor Hand-Blown Cabernet Sauvignon Wine and Champagne Glass.
“This design is perfect for full-bodied, complex red wines with high tannins. The generous size provides ample space for the wine’s aromas to develop while emphasizing its fruit-forward notes,” she adds. This glass shape smooths out rough edges from the tannins and helps the wine achieve a harmonious balance.
When serving pinot noir, reach for a wide, rounded bowl with slightly curved sides, but not as wide as the oaked chardonnay glass, like the Zwiesel Glas Pure Burgundy Red Wine Glass.
She says this shape is ideal because it enhances the wine’s delicate aromas and highlights its fruit-forward character while tempering its high acidity and moderate tannins. The diameter of the mouthpiece controls where the wine hits the palate, and the wide bowl provides ample space for the wine to breathe, allowing its full complexity to develop. At the same time, the tapered rim focuses the aromas for an optimal tasting experience.
Best wine glasses for sparkling wine
The best wine glass for sparkling wine may surprise you. “Contrary to popular belief, the champagne flute is the worst glass for sparkling wine,” says Haarklau. “Its narrowness prevents the release of aromas and negatively affects the palate.”
Opt for a tulip-shaped glass or an unoaked white wine glass, like the Ravenscroft Crystal Amplifier Unoaked White Wine Glass.
Does it matter which type of wine glass you choose?
The best wine glasses for red and white wines have stems and thin glass — Photo courtesy of Coury Hospitality
You can drink wine from anything — stemless glassware, fine crystal, and even tumblers. While choosing the best wine glasses for the type of wine can make a difference, it’s also about your lifestyle. Do you want wine glasses you can put in a dishwasher? Do you want an everyday wine glass or something for special occasions? Stemless or with a stem that feels beautiful in your hand?
For the most pleasurable wine-drinking experience, Haarklau suggests drinking from a stemmed glass whenever possible. Stemless glassware forces you to hold the bowl of the glass to drink the wine, which immediately increases its temperature. She also says drinking from thin, stemmed glassware lets you see the wine more clearly.
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If you must drink from a stemless wine glass, avoid vessels made from plastic or metal. “While plastic is neutral, it is not a good insulator and can warm quickly,” adds Haarklau. “The same is true for metal. It can quickly impact the temperature. Glass or crystal is always the recommendation.”
Universal wine glasses are easy and cost-effective for most households, but they don’t elevate the wines as good glassware can. “Wine glasses should not be one size fits all, as wines are all very different,” says Haarklau. “Every varietal needs its own glass to taste its best.”
Still, she recommends the Riedel Extreme Cabernet Wine Glasses if you must have a universal glass, but only for full-bodied red, unoaked white, and champagne.
