One of the major factors that enhances the enjoyment of any wine is the wine glass in which it is served. When glancing around the department store or browsing the many on-line retailers you will be confronted by a very wide range of fancy stemware and wine glasses, but which is the best suited to use for the wine enthusiast/taster? Whilst it may be tempting to choose crystal wine glasses or stemless wine glasses the true wine enthusiast has a more reserved approach.
Although usually very flamboyant in their outlook on life, professional wine tasters steer clear of the more fancy styles of wine glasses and instead plump for the plain glass styles, that is those simply tulip shaped with a long stem,such as those produced by Riedel wine glasses or Spiegelau wine glasses. This is because those made from coloured glass or even cut crystal distort the look of the wine and the professional wine tasters want to observe the colour and clarity of the liquid in their glass.
Allied to this the tulip shape of the glass bowl means that the all important aroma is concentrated as it leaves the wine glass, and the long stem allows an easy hold with which to easily swirl the wine to release those flavours, whilst being long enough to keep the fingers away from the bowl as they might have a detrimental warming effect on the wine. Always choose a thin wine glass, avoiding the awkward taste of chunky thick glass on the lips. Bigger volume wine glasses help separate out the various flavours in the wine, much like large speakers on a sound system do to amplifying sound, a factor enhanced by not filling the glass more that a third full. A big exception to the use of large tulip glasses is when you are serving Champagne or similar fizzy wines and then use should be made of tall fluted glasses again produced ably by the Reidel wine glass company. However, it is important to keep this snobbish approach to wine glasses in control, and mention must be made of those unique wine glasses that come in the form of personalized wine glasses, etched wine glasses or monogrammed wine glasses, all perfectly capable of bringing out the full flavour of a wine. But the use of acrylic wine glasses, plastic wine glasses or any other cheap wine glasses should be left for the prom party!
An important factor influencing the relationship between wine and the wine glass is the process employed in their washing. Any trace of leftover detergent on a wineglass can change the flavour of the next wine you pour into it, so be sure to rinse thoroughly after cleaning them. With Champagne glasses avoid the use of detergent altogether as the merest hint of soap will kill dead that essential fizz the next time they are used. Champagne and sparkling wine glasses should just be rinsed well with hot water and then rubbed dry and shiny with a linen cloth. It goes without saying that the harsh cleaning environment of a dishwasher should be avoided. Wine glasses should be stored upside down to stop dust ingress and away from the cooking stove or range thus avoiding any grease build-up.
