Red wine glasses

The two classic shapes work in exactly the opposite way. The Burgundy glass is round and wide, with a rim that curves slightly inward to hold in delicate aromas. This glass is made for Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and other grapes where aroma matters more than structure, and ranges from 75 to 96 cl. The Bordeaux glass is taller and straighter. It directs the wine further into your mouth, softening the tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Tempranillo. It holds around 55 to 75 cl. You’ll find both shapes in durable commercial glass and thin-blown lead-free crystal, and you can feel the difference most at the rim.

Looking for one glass for all red wines? Choose a universal glass between 43 and 55 cl. Big enough for swirling, but not so big that it looks empty. If you’re specifically looking for large red wine glasses, also check out the large wine glasses, where you’ll find the very largest models. White wine calls for different sizes and a different shape. You’ll find those glasses under white wine glasses.

Pour red wine into a glass up to the widest part of the bowl, about one-fifth full, and no higher. Above that point, the glass narrows, and you need that space to swirl without spilling. Room temperature dates back to a time when homes were colder. Red wine tastes best between 16 and 18 degrees, and a light Pinot Noir can even be served a little cooler.

Young, full-bodied wine softens with exposure to air. Half an hour in a decanter does more than leaving the bottle open for an hour. You decant old wine for a different reason: to leave the sediment in the bottle. If you have some left over, a sangria with fruit and ice is a good way to use it up. And never pour wine into a glass that has just come out of the dishwasher warm, because the wine’s temperature will shoot up all at once.

A stem almost never breaks while drinking. It usually happens when drying it, when you hold the base and twist the bowl. All the tension is then concentrated where the bowl meets the stem. So hold the bowl and twist the cloth inside it.

Place glasses in the dishwasher so their stems don’t touch, choose a short cycle, and take them out as soon as it’s finished. If the steam lingers, it settles as limescale and makes the glass cloudy. A splash of vinegar in the rinse water and a lint-free cloth will quickly remove the film. Store them upright in the cabinet so the thin rim isn’t resting on anything.

If you’d like to see all the models side by side first, check the complete overview of wine glasses. If you’re looking for a particular brand or a series you already own, each brand has its own page in the menu. If there’s wine left over, wine stoppers keep an open bottle fresh for a few days. And if you’d rather make something else with red wine, the cocktail pages show which glass goes with each recipe.