Quicklist: Wine Glasses
- Cabernet
- Burgundy
- Bordeaux
- Zinfandel
- Pinot Noir
- Rose
- Chardonnay
- Viognier
- Sparkling
- Sweet Wine
- Vintage
- Rose White
- Port
- Sherry
- Balloon
- Flute
- Stemless
- Aerating
Most people have one, maybe two sets of wine glasses, and this is generally more than sufficient. However, if you wish to take your wine appreciation to the next level, you need to learn about the different types of wine glasses and buy sets for each type of wine you serve.
Below you’ll find custom illustrated charts, photos and write-ups showing and explaining your wine glass options.
Types of Red Wine Glasses
Red Wine Chart
1. Cabernet
One of the tallest of all of the red wine glasses, cabernet wine glasses are specially created to intensify the smell of the wine.
They magnify and focus on thecontents because of their shape, making drinking from them an experience that you are sure to enjoy. In addition, because the bowl of the glass is so wide, it allows the wine to breathe properly.
The aroma then is captured by the narrow mouth. It’s important when you are using a cabernet wine glass that you do not overfill as it is much better for the taste, smell, and enjoyment of the wine to have smaller amounts poured into the glass. This ensures that the wine is as fragrant as possible when you drink it.
Overfilling is a common problem when wine glasses are large, however, you never want to pour more wine than can fill the widest part of the bowl.
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2. Burgundy
These special glasses have a wider bowl than Bordeaux glasses do. The bowl is bigger so that it can accommodate some of the aromas of wines that are a bit more delicate.
Due to the shape of the glass, the drinker will experience tasting the wine first on the tip of the tongue, then throughout the mouth.
Having the wine directly at the tip of the tongue ensures that you can fully taste and smell even the most delicate wine and keeps you from missing any of the amazing nuances that may be in a particular glass of wine.
Some of these glasses have a shorter stem that will keep the wine glass from toppling over but still long enough that you can swirl the wine to incorporate air and enjoy the best possible taste and smell.
The lip on the glasses is often quite thin, which doesn’t just help keep the wine at the front of your mouth but also makes them a pleasure to drink out of.
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3. Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine glasses have the honor of being the tallest red wine glass but with a much smaller bowl than some other options.
They are perfect for full-bodied wines such as a Merlot or Cabernet and their shape ensures that you will have the best possible drinking experience when you use them.
When you drink out of the tall glass, the wine travels to the back of the mouth instead of remaining up near the tip of your tongue.
This ensures that you taste all of the flavors of your wine without it being bitter or too much to drink. This especially helps if the wine that you are drinking is a little young or does not have the full, rich flavors traditionally associated with Bordeaux.
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4. Zinfandel
The perfect wine glass for Zinfandel is a little shorter than the Bordeaux wine glass and has a slightly larger rim.
The shape ensures that you experience the full flavor and smell of the wine. You will want to look for glasses that have a thin rim as anything thick or bumpy will detract from the overall experience of the wine that you are drinking.
Thicker rims will actually impede how the wine flows into your mouth and with a lighter wine, such as Zinfandel, you want to make sure that there is nothing in its way.
The bowl is also smaller than the Bordeaux or Cabernet wine glasses but still large enough that the wine is able to breathe. This will improve the overall flavor and your whole drinking experience.
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5. Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir glasses are gorgeous and have the widest bowl of any of the red or white wine glasses. This ensures that the wine has as much contact with the air as possible and will greatly improve its aroma and flavor.
The bowl is large enough for you to swirl the contents and a crystal-clear glass will allow you to observe the wine during this action.
These glasses have slightly shorter stems than other red wine glasses. The easiest way to tell them apart is to pay attention to the rim. It is turned out from the glass, which directs the flavors and smell of the wine directly to your nose and mouth.
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6. Rosé
Rosé glasses have a long stem that ensures that the heat from your hand does not affect the wine. You want your wine to remain at a cool temperature and the stem allows that.
There are two main kinds of Rosé glasses that you can find: ones with a short bowl and flared lip or others with a short bowl and a short taper.
Either glass is fine for drinking this delicious wine but the flared lip is preferred for younger wines. These wines are generally less sweet than their aged counterparts and the flared lip will direct the wine to your sweet-sensitive taste buds. This minimizes any unpleasant aftertaste and maximizes the sweetness of your drink.
More matureRoséwill works well in a glass with a short taper.
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White Wine Glasses
White Wine Chart
1. Chardonnay
In general, glasses specifically designed for white wine will have a more upright and “U”-shaped bowl than those created to enhance the enjoyment of red wine.
A great Chardonnay glass will be similar in shape to the Pinot Noir glass but smaller. It’s perfect for younger white wines as the opening is slightly larger, which will direct the wine that you are enjoying to the sides and tip of the tongue instead of the back of the mouth.
This way, you will be able to enjoy the sweetness of the wine. This is a great way to enjoy wine that otherwise may not seem sweet enough as the larger opening can help you really taste every sip that you take. These glasses have a fairly wide bowl with a top that only narrows a little bit.
The shape of this glass, similar to the Pinot Noir, ensures that you fully enjoy the intensity and deliciousness of the wine.
Buy at Houzz
2. Viognier
The Viognier wine glass has a smaller bowl than a sweet wine glass and a slightly more open rim.
It’s important that your Viognier glasses have a small enough bowl that the wine will not be in a lot of contact with the air as the oxygen can quickly destroy the aromatic notes for which this wine is so prized.
The aromatics of this wine commonly include violets, peaches, pears, and minerals so it’s important that you do everything to protect these amazing aromas.
These wines are typically drunk a little young and can tend to be sweeter so the shape of the glass ensures that you have the best drinking experience.
You won’t have to worry about missing some of the amazing floral aromas in this wine when you choose a high-quality Viognier glass to enjoy your drink.
In addition, the shape of the glass itself and the broad base that is common with these glasses ensures that you will not have an accident as they rely on a lower center of gravity to keep from being knocked over.
Buy at Houzz
3. Sparkling
Sparkling, or champagne, glasses are going to be much narrower than other white wine glasses and perfectly upright. This shape helps the glass retain the carbonation of the wine and will allow it to play on your tongue when you drink.
These wine glasses are designed to promote carbonation while others with wider bowls cause the wine to quickly go flat.
You will enjoy the taste and the aroma of the wine when you have your first sip, thanks to the shape of the glass and the small opening, as the drink will hit the tip of your tongue immediately.
The shape of the glass also allows the aromas of the wine to flow upward, making it easy to smell and enjoy. A wide base is important as it ensures that your tall glass does not accidentally tip over.
These special-occasion flutes often come beautifully decorated and make every drink that you enjoy feel as if it is a cause for celebration.
Some producers are even making sparkling wine glasses that have the bowl extend all the way through the stem. While there are people who enjoy the look of these glasses, they will unfortunately warm up your sparkling wine when you are drinking it. This will cause it to lose carbonation and go flat much faster than if you were using a glass with a long stem.
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4. Sweet Wine
Designed for sweeter and dessert wines, these glasses are smaller and have a much smaller rim than other white wine glasses. This makes them ideal for directing the wine to the back of the mouth.
This ensures that the sweetness of the wine is not overwhelming and that the taste and feel of the wine can still be enjoyed.
In addition, swirling the wine will emphasize the acid content, which will also help combat the extreme sweetness that you can find in some sweet wines.
Since dessert wines often have a higher alcohol content than other white wines, you will enjoy a smaller serving and the petite size of these glasses makes them the perfect size for an after-dinner drink.
Thanks to the taper on their rim, they are easy to swirl and will keep a great balance between the air and the wine.
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5. Vintage
While vintage wine glasses have a lot of charm, they aren’t always the best glass to drink out of.
Because they are not specially designed to improve the flavor and smell of the wine that you are enjoying, they will make some wines taste better than others will, so it may be a little hit or miss when drinking out of them.
Even knowing this, many people choose them because they are so attractive and conjure up happy memories.
They come in a variety of designs from plain glass to cut crystal so you can make your drink as fancy as you’d prefer. The main problem with these wine glasses is that the bowl is so wide that the wine has a lot of contact with the air.
In addition, this wide bowl can be tricky to balance and so spilling your wine is much easier than with a taller, more streamlined glass.
If you want your wine to have plenty of contact with oxygen or are more concerned with appearance than with function, then you will love the way that these wine glasses look.
Make sure that they have a wide and heavy enough base to help counteract the heavy liquid that they will be holding and always pick them up by the stem so that you are not inadvertently warming them with the heat from your hand.
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6. Rosé White
You can buy two kinds of Rosé glasses — ones with short bowls and tapers or ones that have a short bowl with a flared lip. They both work perfectly well, but if your Rosé is younger then you will want to use a glass with a flared lip as this will help intensify the sweetness of the wine. If you are going to be drinking a more mature Rosé then you can opt for a glass with a shorter stem and one without a flared lip.
Other Wine Glasses
1. Port
Traditionally, these glasses are a little smaller and thinner than a Bordeaux glass but similarly shaped. Although the glass can usually hold between six and 12 ounces, it’s important that you don’t fill it more than halfway to ensure that you can really enjoy the aroma of the wine.
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2. Sherry
Made specifically to hold and serve sherry, these glasses are very similar in appearance to port wine glasses. They have a very long stem to protect the quality of the drink while it is being enjoyed and a very small opening for the mouth.
This directs the aroma of the sherry to the nose of the drinker and ensures that they are able to enjoy even the smallest nuances in their drink.
3. Balloon
Commonly used as large wine glasses, balloon glasses are great to have on hand because they are so versatile.
They can be used for reds that need plenty of air to breathe as well as white wine such as chardonnay, as the fairly large opening will allow a lot of the aroma to escape the glass. Users love the long stem on these glasses since it will keep the drink from accidentally getting too warm.
4. Flute
Taller and skinnier than all other wine glasses, this protects the carbonation and ensures that your wine stays bubbly while you enjoy it.
The long stem ensures that the heat of your hand does not negatively affect the quality of your drink. The height of the glasses does more than simply ensure that the beverage stays well carbonated, it also improves the appearance of the drink and makes it more appetizing.
5. Stemless
Stemless glasses have gained a lot of popularity recently but it’s important that you are careful when using them as you don’t want the warmth of your hand to heat up your wine.
While you won’t have to worry about accidentally knocking them over since they do not have a stem, you will have to decide if that safety is worth worrying about the temperature of your wine.
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6. Aerating
If you want to make sure that your wine is well aerated before drinking it, then this glass is perfect for you. Instead of having to aerate your wine and then pour it into your glass, you can easily aerate it while pouring yourself a drink. Look for ones that combine function and beauty.
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Top Brands of Wine Glasses
Riedel
Riedel is an Austrian wine glass manufacturer that bills themselves as “the wine glass company.” For longer than the United States has been a country, the company has been hand-blowing glass products.
Their claim holds true, considering Claus J. Riedel is responsible for the variety of wine glass styles that connoisseurs now embrace. To this day, they still create fantastic glassware.
Zalto
Originating from Venice but also now operating out of Austria, Zalto’s name swirls around the world of wine aficionados. Their glasses are substantially more expensive than other brands, with prices for a single glass matching or exceeding the price of a full set from other manufacturers.
They have a few unique offerings, like the Gravitas Omega, a wine glass that may cause panic when first seen lying on its side.
Schott Zwiesel
Schott Zwiesel is a younger version of Riedel and Zalto that was founded in 1872, which still makes it ancient compared to many modern companies. A wide price range offers something for nearly any budget, and the glasses still consistently rate among the favorites of avid wine drinkers.
Waterford
Intricate edges and patterns on the glasses from Waterford immediately jump out as unique. The prices match up with that artistic quality, as many Waterford wine glasses cost in the hundreds per glass. These are the kind of glasses that you pass down through the family as heirlooms.
Williams-Sonoma
Glasses from Williams-Sonoma fall just below the quality and pricing of the other brands. The company is a general home goods retailer, not a dedicated wine glass company.
You can shop for wine glasses for the other brands on this list right on their website, so they aren’t afraid to put their product up against the best.
Libbey Glass Company
Libbey is an American glass company from Massachusetts that traces its founding to a glass company in 1818. Today, the company’s glassware strikes a nearly perfect balance between function and cost.
The cheapest ones hold up well to a regular evening drink, but it won’t be the end of the world if a glass’s stem accidentally snaps.
Where to Buy Wine Glasses
Sur La Table
Whether you’re looking for cake molds, dinner plates, or wine glasses, Sur La Table is a leader in fine kitchenware. This retailer began back in Seattle, Washington in 1972 and is still going strong today.
In fact, this store was the very first retailer to offer customers the now-popular Cuisinart food processor. You can visit a retail location (they have one at the famous Pike Place Market) or shop the retailer’s vast selection of wine glasses and more online.
Everything ships to your door, and you can find virtually any type of wine glass as well as other tableware in virtually any style you like. In addition to its vast assortment of gorgeous wine glasses and other great kitchen items, Sur La Table now offers online cooking classes, too.
Estelle Colored Wine Glasses
If you’re looking to add the “wow” factor to your tabletop, make sure you check out Estelle Colored Glass. This brand makes hand-blown, and specialty-made colored glasses as well as cake stands and other types of stemware.
From rich jewel tones to soft pastels, these wine glasses are made of original commissioned pieces that were made by glass artisans in Poland with a 100-year-old history. Think of these stunners as sparkling jewels for your table.
With a vintage-inspired twist, they make terrific gifts for the wine enthusiast in your life as well. The company was founded by a woman named Estelle who loved to visit local antique shops throughout South Carolina. She began collecting colored glass, and the rest was history.
These wine glasses are unlike any other you’ll find, and they add a pop of fun color and style to any tabletop. Whether you want something dark and brilliant or light and bubbly, Estelle Colored wine glasses are definitely a fantastic choice.
Riedel
Riedel has been selling beautiful wine glasses for well over 200 years. You can find a variety of fantastic wine glasses here in virtually any and every style imaginable.
There are also plenty of other great glasses to choose from, including nice options for cocktails and spirits. Riedel Crystal was the first in history to acknowledge that the shape of a wine glass affects the taste and aroma.
Many top-rated restaurants and wineries use Riedel glassware, and you can purchase some of your own on their website. You can find glasses in every price range and for everything, whether you need something for a fancy dinner party or a casual picnic.
Anthropologie
This popular brand is known for its luxurious clothing, perfumes and household goods. Wine glasses are just one of the many items you’ll find at Anthropologie, and the company focuses on offering unique products that you won’t find just anywhere.
If you’re on the hunt for an unusual set of wine glasses, visit the brand’s website to see what they have new in stock. Many products from Anthropologie have a retro vibe, but there are others that offer a luxe, sophisticated look, too.
If you’re looking for wine glasses with a unique shape, pattern, or color, you can’t go wrong with this brand. You can also find several Anthropologie retail stores located throughout the United States. Members get free shipping to their door on orders of $50 or more.
Check out the brand’s selection of tableware, table linens, glasses, and a lot more. If you’re planning a wedding, be sure to check out their sister website, BHLDN, for wedding gowns, champagne flutes, and everything else you could ever want for your big day.
Viski
Viksi offers a myriad of beautiful wine glasses, barware, home goods, gifts, and more. Check out their range of modern and minimalist designs including decanters and stemless wine glasses. You will also find faceted champagne flutes, shimmering copper wine glasses, and crystal wine carafes.
This retailer is an excellent choice for those looking to step up their wine glass game or for anyone who’s looking for a fabulous wedding or housewarming gift.
The store carries a vast assortment of beautiful products that will elevate your home bar and kitchen. Currently, Viski is offering free shipping on orders of $60 or more excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
