Royal Leerdam Carré Optics

First decide whether you want a flute or a coupe, because that is the biggest choice in this range. The 22.5 cl flute is narrow and holds the bubbles for a long time, which suits a fresh prosecco or cava. The 28.5 cl coupe is wide and shallow, so the carbonation leaves faster but the aroma is released straight away; that shape is also the classic choice for cocktails without ice. Among the wine glasses, 38.5 cl is the size for white wine and rosé and 52 cl the roomier bowl for red wine. See also the champagne glasses and the champagne coupes.

Fill a flute to about two thirds with the bottle held low over the rim, and the foam stays inside. A coupe you fill to just below the widest point: pouring higher means spilling as soon as someone picks the glass up. Serve sparkling wine between six and eight degrees and always hold the glass by the stem, because the optical pattern shows fingerprints clearly. For cocktails, the coupe is the shape for an espresso martini or a daiquiri, shaken and served without ice in the glass.

The ribs are in the glass and so do not wear away, but they do catch limescale. Wash at a maximum of sixty degrees and dose rinse aid sparingly, because an overdose leaves exactly the kind of haze that lingers in the grooves and dulls the pattern. Go over the glasses with a linen cloth while they are still hand-warm and the lines come back sharply. Place the bowls loosely in the basket so the rims do not touch, and hold them by the bowl when drying.

If this range is not what you are after, you will find more from this brand among the Royal Leerdam glasses. If you are looking for other bowls for wine, have a look at the wine glasses, and for anything shaken and served in a coupe, at the cocktail glasses. The recipes for an Espresso Martini, a French 75 and a Kir Royal all three suit the shapes from this range.