Have you ever wondered why wine glasses come in different shapes and sizes? And more importantly, does the shape of a wine glass affect its taste?. In this blog post, we’re going to uncover the truth.
If you think about it, it’s more about functionality rather than the look of glass. All wine glasses have three components—the bowl, the stem and the base. It’s the bowl’s shape, size and diameter that makes a difference. How so? There are various factors that play a key role in deciding the shape of wine glasses. Depending upon the type of wine, how much space is there for our face to lean in and how much oxygen exposure is allowed?
For red wines, glasses with wide diameter are perfect. They allow it to breathe, thus bringing forth its bold aromas and flavours when exposed to air. It also gives you a chance to immerse your nose into the glass, depending upon the wine glass. Furthermore, for full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, tall glasses would do justice to these delicious drops. It enables the wine to hit the back of the mouth, amplifying the flavours. Whereas for light-bodied reds like Pinot Noir, a glass with larger bowl size helps, directing the wine to the tip of the tongue to detect the flavours.
For white wines, glasses with narrow bowl would suffice. The structure not only helps to retain the floral fragrances but also maintains the cool temperature. For young white wines, large-opening glasses are used to direct wine on the sides and savour its sweetness. While mature white wines perform better in taller glasses where the bold flavours could be revealed at the sides as well as at the back of the tongue.
When it comes to sparkling wines, it’s imperative to retain its bubble. The gas shouldn’t escape. After all, what’s a sparkling wine without bubbles? That’s why large and narrow wine glasses are preferred. These are known as flute-style glasses and are very popular. They keep both the fizz and the flavour intact. Other styles are tulip and coupe. Tulips are viewed as hybrid glasses, a perfect blend of coupe and flute style. Its design ensures that the bubbles aid the aromas by carrying them to the surface. This way you’ll be able to appreciate the aromas more and have a better experience.
Many wine connoisseurs choose this style while trying some of the finest Champagne from France. Found in the old world restaurants, saucer glasses have a shorter stem and wider rim as compared to its counterparts. Although it has traditional significance, other styles have surpassed it because it allows aromas and bubbles to escape quickly.
That was all on how different styles of wine glasses can affect the taste of wine. In a nutshell, a wrong wine glass could spoil your wine experience. It’s best if you choose the right glass. We hope you found this blog post informative. It will surely help you when you’re shopping for wine glasses for your next party.
