Bormioli Rocco Premium

The rule of thumb is simple: the fuller the wine, the larger the bowl. For crisp white wine, 29 or 33 cl works well, because the wine is finished before it gets warm. Red wine needs air; with 55 to 66 cl, you can pour one-third full and still swirl without spilling. The 66 cl glass is the Burgundy style, with a rounded bowl that retains the aroma. Never fill more than one-third, regardless of the size. The 26 cl champagne flute keeps the bubbles for longer. Compare with the red wine glasses and the white wine glasses.

Always hold the glass by the stem, even when handing it to someone: touching the bowl leaves fingerprints and warms the wine. Serve white wine straight from the refrigerator and let it warm a few degrees in the glass; red wine should actually be slightly cooler than room temperature. Warm the 64.5 cl cognac glass with the palm of your hand; that is precisely what its rounded shape is designed for. For a kir royal pour the crème into the flute first, and only then add the bubbles, otherwise they will not mix.

Crystalline glass contains no lead, but it does contain additives that make the glass clearer and stronger than ordinary soda-lime glass. That allows the rim to be thinner without the glass breaking straight away. The Premium may go in the dishwasher, provided you place the glasses apart from each other in a glass basket. Limescale marks show up faster on a thin bowl: use rinse aid and dry them off with a microfibre cloth. Never twist the stem while polishing, because that is where it snaps.

If you’re looking for a single glass that can do everything, a universal wine glass makes more sense than this range; take a look at the wine glassescategory. For sparkling wine separately, there’s the champagne flute glassescategory, and for after-dinner spirits, the cognac glasses. The full range from Bormioli Rocco shows which other series are available. For a mimosa , use that same 26 cl flute.