SPIEGELAU Winelovers

The difference between the three bowls lies in the space above the wine. The 38 cl is the smallest and suits white wine: you pour a modest measure, which keeps the wine cool down to the last sip. The 46 cl is the middle size that handles both white and lighter red wine, and is therefore the safest first choice. With 58 cl, full-bodied red wine gets enough surface to take in air, provided you do not pour past the widest point of the bowl. The 19 cl flute holds on to the bubbles instead, because the narrow shape gives the carbon dioxide little room to escape.

Never fill to the brim. One-third of the bowl is the rule of thumb: then you can swirl without spilling, allowing the aroma to be released into the space above. Hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl, otherwise your hand will warm the wine. Fill a flute at an angle, along the side, so the foam does not spill over the rim. This works just as well for a mimosa with orange juice or a kir royal with crème de cassis as for pure champagne.

Winelovers is made of clear crystal glass: thin at the rim, but stronger than it looks. The glasses may go in the dishwasher on a glassware programme, provided the stems do not lean against each other or against cutlery. Gripping the bowl and turning it while the foot stays still is exactly the movement that snaps stems, so always hold the glass at the bottom when drying. Dry with a lint-free cloth, because crystal glass shows water marks sooner than ordinary glass.

The full range from this manufacturer can be found under Spiegelau, and the larger bowls from the same house can be found under Salute. If you are looking specifically by shape, look under red wine glasses, white wine glasses , or the broader category wine glasses. If you only want to look at glasses for sparkling wine, the separate category champagne flute glasses provides the quickest overview of all the available shapes.