Choosing The Right Wine Glasses For You (Partnership)

I'm thrilled to announce WineFolly's partnership with Riedel for 2025. The right wine glasses have real staying power, and I've been using Riedel glasses professionally throughout my career. So you might be wondering, why are there so many different glass shapes? And why no universal glass? Well, a universal glass is great for learning comparative tasting, but it's not ideal for truly enjoying the nuances of different types of wine. So let's break down these different glass shapes so you can find your favorite. Firstly, the glass's bowl shape and size play crucial roles in temperature control and aroma presentation. Smaller glasses like this Champagne and Riesling glass hold wine closer together, which preserves cooler temperatures. Then the larger bowls, such as this Pinot Noir glass, provide more room to capture floral aromas. When you have a smaller Turbinado shape, it funnels rich aromas directly into your nose, which is great for earthy and spicy wines like Syrah and Malbec. Now the glass's opening diameter is really going to change the way wine hits your palate. A wider diameter softens tannins by distributing them more evenly, while a narrow diameter, like this Riesling glass, is going to give wines a fresher, more acidic taste. Now here's something you may have never noticed. The elevation angle of a glass changes the way the wine hits your tongue. With this Champagne glass, your tongue will hit the wine first, making the wine taste fruitier and perceptively sweeter. Now the perfect glass is barely there, blown very thin, practically holding the wine in space for you to enjoy. And while perfection sounds good, we should probably talk about real world considerations when choosing the right glasses for you. The Xtreme line is more durable due to its slightly thicker construction, and it's great for lively households or restaurant use. And the Veloce line, while impressively durable, is blown much thinner for a more featherweight tasting experience. Fortunately, both Xtreme and Veloce collections are dishwasher safe, just be sure to use your crystal or glassware setting. And this is great because I've found that hand washing glasses increases the risk of breakage. Finally, one last consideration is your cabinet's height. The tallest glasses that we feature in both collections are nine and three quarters inches tall. So what should you get? Well, if you're new to specialized glassware, you might start with a pairing of red and white glasses. For example, this Cabernet and this Riesling glass combo are great for bold, fruit forward wines. Now consider a Pinot Noir and Champagne glass pairing for more aromatic reds and elegant white and sparkling wines. By the way, these glasses work for way more than just their namesake. For example, the Pinot Noir glass performs exceptionally well with Nebbiolo, Gamay, Cinsault, and Nerello Mascalese. The Cabernet Sauvignon glass does wonders with Tempranillo, Merlot, Nero Diavola, and Montepulciano. It's made for wines with big tannin. And the Champagne glass works for more than just sparkling wines. It's surprisingly good for Sauvignon Blanc and even Dry Rosé. Also, don't forget a decanter. It's a simple yet effective way to aerate your wine and it does wonders for young wines. The right glass can change your mind about a wine and it can transform your experience. So take a minute to find what works for you. And if you're like me, you might end up with a glass for every occasion.