Choosing the Right Wine Glass

At Holm Oak, we believe a great bottle of wine is deserving of an equally worthy wine glass to enjoy it from. After all, if you’re taking the time to savour something delicious, it’s worth taking an extra moment to choose a wine glass that will help make your favourite wine taste even better.

Read on to discover more about why choosing the right wine glass matters, and how it can enhance your wine drinking experience. We’ll also share some tips on how to choose the best wine glass for your favourite varietals.

Why Wine Glass Shape and Size Matters

According to renowned wine glass makers, Riedel, the shape and size of your drinking vessel really does matter. So much so, they created a range of glassware specific to grape varietals.

Aroma plays a vital role in tasting, and the shape of the glass can greatly impact how the wine smells and how you may perceive its taste. In fact, aroma is so crucial to the tasting process that scientists agree it forms 80 – 90% of our sense of taste!

A glass with a wider bowl can help to release the wine’s aromas, while a narrower rim can direct the wine to the specific taste receptors on your tongue, enhancing the flavour.

How to Choose the Right Wine Glass

Choosing the right wine glass may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few clues your chosen wine will give you to steer you in the right direction.

Generally speaking, delicate and aromatic white wines (like riesling and pinot gris), will perform well in smaller bowled glasses, as the aromas have less chance of escaping as they travel toward your nose.

Red wines, particularly cabernet sauvignon and shiraz will typically have a bolder aromatic profile and therefore benefit from a wider bowl to assist in the aeration process.

For chardonnay and pinot noir fans, the good news is that the optimal glasses for each are not too dissimilar, so if you are investing in a set, it’s perfectly fine to buy for just one of these varietals and add the other later if you want to. The best shape for these varietals is a wide shaped bowl to increase the surface area of the wine, this allows more oxygen in, unlocking the incredible array of aromas.

If you drink many different wines, then Riedel has come to the rescue with a good “all-rounder” option, the Magnum glass. Don’t forget about stemless options either. These are great for providing more stability and come in plenty of shapes and sizes so you can still opt to choose a varietally optimised glass.

Choosing the right size and shape of wine glass can greatly enhance your wine drinking experience. Next time you pour a glass of wine, take a moment to consider the glass you’re using – it could make all the difference.

Want to know more about what’s in your glass and how to best enjoy it? Read on to find out more:

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