The Importance of The Right Glass For the Right Wine

Have you ever wondered why the samples you taste on wine tours taste so much fuller and more intense than when you try them again back home? Well it might be something as simple as the fact that you are serving it in the wrong glass! Everything from the shape of the glass, the amount of air and space inside it and the distance from your nose as you drink, will have an impact on the way you experience it. Here is our guide to choosing the perfect glass for your favourite tipple in order to maximize the attributes of the chosen vintage.

The Science behind Choosing a Glass

Researchers in 2015 were able to photograph the way ethanol vapours (the particles which create the aroma) behave in various glass shapes. They discovered that the traditional wine glass was able to deliver aromas more consistently than any other glass shape.

Glasses for White Varieties

But knowing that it must be drunk out of a wine glass for maximum appreciation is not the end of the story. Within that category there are a huge variety of different shapes and sizes which aid in bringing out the best of each variety.

As a rule, whites should be served in glasses with a smaller bowl than red. This is for several reasons. Firstly, the practical matter of keeping the drink at its ideal, cool temperature: small amounts should be poured so that it doesn’t have a chance to warm before you drink it.

It is also best to serve white varieties in smaller glasses so that the gentle aroma is contained and, when you put the glass to your lips, you are able to pick up the scent as it is physically closer to your nose.

Even within glasses specifically designed for white varieties, there are differences which you will encounter and learn about on wine tours of France. Light-bodied whites work better in narrow, tall glasses while full-bodied whites like Chardonnays and Viogniers are served in shorter, rounder glasses.

Glasses for Red Varieties

While whites are served in smaller, narrower bowls to bring the gentle aroma closer to your nose, reds are served in wider, taller bowls to allow the intense aroma to evaporate slightly before it reaches your nostrils. The wider bowl also makes the flavour smoother by reducing the intensity of the tannins.

Again, glasses for reds come in several different shapes. A narrow glass with shorter rim is preferred for those with high tannin and alcohol levels like a Syrah or Malbec. A tall wide rim glass is preferred for high tannin, high acidity varieties like the Bordeaux blends, and wide, big bowl glass is recommended for low tannin reds like Pinot Noir.

Champagne Glasses

While fashions in Champagne glasses come and go, moving from a long tall flute to a wide, shallow coupe, research in 2012 found that the flute was the best way to sample your favourite fizz as it created a nose-tingling intensity lost in the wide coupe.

So next time you’re tempted to drink your favourite tipple, discovered on one of your most recent wine tours, out of an old mug, take the time to search out the perfect glass. You’ll find yourself transported back to the French vineyards in which you first discovered and fell in love with it.

Paul Newman is the Marketing and E-Systems Executive for European Waterways, the UK's most respected provider of all-inclusive, luxury barge holidays. Offering holidays to France and other great destinations, itineraries include wine tours and other cultural and themed activities. Part of a team of experienced barging aficionados, Paul is first in line to endorse the perks of a slow-paced barge cruise to anyone looking for a unique holiday experience.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.