Preferred Wine Cellars
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Everything You Need to Know About Wine Glasses
There are lots of types of wine glasses to choose from which is why some people find it daunting to buy them. You can let your personal preferences and budget guide you when making your purchase but there are a few wine glass rules to bear in mind while you are shopping.
Wine glasses should be clear glass. You can get crystal wine glasses if your budget allows but glass is fine as well. Being able to see the color of the wine is part of the enjoyment so do not get colored glass. You should not fill a wine glass more than halfway so make sure you choose large enough wine glasses.
This is so the aroma is released at the top of the glass when you swirl your wine. Good glasses taper at the top so they are wider at the bottom. A narrow bowl is best for lighter red and wine wines, so the delicate flavors can be concentrated. Bold wines require a bigger glass.
You need stemmed wine glasses so the warmth from your hands does not affect the temperature of the wine. Not even red wine should be warmed while you drink it or its flavor will change. Stems also keep fingerprints off the glass.
Top Five Wine Glasses
If you have a budget for five different types of glasses, you should choose champagne flutes, Sauvignon Blanc glasses, Chardonnay glases, Bordeaux glasses, and Pinot Noir ones. Champagne should be served in narrow, tall glasses. The shape stops it from warming up and lets you see the bubbles. A Sauvignon Blanc glass is not as big as a red wine glass but it still has a wide bowl so the aromas and flavors are released properly.
A Chardonnay glass, or White Burgundy glass, is a bit taller than the Sauvignon Blanc glass but not so rounded. Bordeaux glasses are for full-bodied reds. They are not so wide as a Red Burgundy glass but they still look like red wine glasses. A Red Burgundy glass, or Pinot Noir glass, is very wide and like a snifter. These wine glasses allow sufficient surface area for the air to interact with your wine.
Dessert Wine Glasses
If you like to drink dessert wines, you might also like to get sherry glasses. These are like small, thin port glasses. Port glasses can be used for any fortified dessert wine. They show the color and direct the aroma to the nose. Dessert wine glasses are like small versions of traditional wine glasses. Use a dessert wine glass if the wine is not fortified or a port glass if it is.
Is There an All-Purpose Wine Glass?
If you do not have much of a budget, you can get an all-purpose wine glass. Aim for a tulip shaped bowl, an eight ounce fluid capacity, a five and a half inch height and a one and three quarter inch stem height. If you can afford three types, get Bordeaux glasses for red wine, Chardonnay glasses for white wine and champagne flutes.
If you are a serious wine buff, you probably already have all your wine glasses. If not, then try to buy crystal rather than glass because it allows the wine to breathe better. It is not necessary to buy a glass for every single type of wine but, if you want to, check out Riedel glasses. If not, just buy the basics and the ones you personally like.
