Weighing up Wine Glasses
Yes, technically you can drink out of anything you want to whether that be out of a wine glass, coffee mug or a fishbowl (although we don't recommend this one but no judgment). You can even ditch the glass and go for the bottle (life sometimes, am I right)?
It all comes down to why you're drinking. If you're just drinking to get drunk then it doesn't really matter what you're drinking out of but if you want to taste your alcoholic beverage then certain glasses do work better than others.
The glass shape and style impact how much air comes into contact with the wine, how much aroma is released and reaches your nose, and especially where it first hits your tongue. All this sounds very technical but basically the right glassware will make your drink taste better!
Side note, if you don't like the alcohol you're drinking, it may be the glass you're using...... or it could just be the $9 wine you chose to buy. Either way, try changing what you're drinking out of. Stick with us and we'll be able to help you determine what glasses work best with what you love drinking.
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Consider the bowl shape
Like we mentioned earlier, the bowl shape of the glass matters as it depends on how much air is exposed to your wine. With wide bowls, much of the wine is exposed to air so a lot of aroma reaches your nose (sniff sniff), and with narrower bowls, less wine is exposed to air and less surface area is present to release aroma to your nose.
Pro-tip, when you have no idea what bowl-shaped glass to use for your favourite drink, just choose a medium-sized, all-purpose glass designed to hold both red and white wine. This will allow the wine plenty of room to breathe so it should taste just as good.
- Choose a wide bowl for reds
- Choose a narrower bowl for whites
- Choose a tall, narrow flute for sparkling
You can also use the below image as a reference if visuals are your kind of thing.
Consider the stem
It really comes down to personal preference for whether or not you want to drink out of a stemmed or stemless glass, however, drinking from a stemless glass can increase the wine's temperature because you're holding the bowl (and the wine) instead of holding the glass's stem.
For that reason, stemmed glasses might be better for white wine instead of red (you don't want it getting too hot and turning gross) but it all depends on what you like drinking from.
If you're throwing a party or having a special occasion, stemmed glasses may be the way to go as they look more formal and give off an air of sophistication, while stemless glasses seem more appropriate for a casual/outdoor affair. But you get to choose!
Consider the rim
Believe it or not, the thickness of a wine glass's rim impacts how the wine flows onto your tongue while you drink it, and can impact how the wine tastes.
A more thinly cut rim with no lip allows the wine to flow more smoothly onto your tongue so you can enjoy all the flavour but glasses with a thicker, more rolled rim prevent a smooth flow and instead, can accentuate the acidity and harshness of the wine (we'll pass on that one).
Just remember the most important part of drinking wine, enjoying it! So sit back with a red, white or sparkling and relax. Drink up!
