How to Choose Wine Glasses |

Over the years, I’ve done my fair share of R&D in the wine department. It’s all for the good of you, dear reader. Seeing how it’s National Wine Day today I thought I’d share a little of my learned insight regarding wine’s vessel—the wine glass. Wine glasses are designed to enhance the type of wine you are drinking, but (like most things associated with wine) it can seem confusing to match the glasses to the various types of wine.

A fun bit of trivia: A burgundy glass holds 24 ounces and a standard bottle of wine is 25 ounces. Rumor has it that if you poured all of that wine into a crystal burgundy glass, it would break.

Sauvignon Blanc: One glass for any type of white wine and rosé. Generally tall and thinner than normal white wine.

Burgundy: If you’re only going to invest in one glass, this is your go-to. Can be used for white, red, and Champagne.

Dessert wine: Dessert wine, sherry, port, or Madeira. It’s also a good choice for sipping spirits served neat, i.e., tequila or mezcal.

Champagne flute: I love the look of a Champagne coupe, but oftentimes I end up spilling the Champagne all over myself. So these are maybe not as cool looking as a coupe, but they’re better at keeping your Champagne in the glass, and they help keep it cool in temperature. A rule of thumb is the drier your Champagne, the bigger the glass should be.

If you want to invest in quality glasses, Reidel, Spiegelau, or Zalto are wonderful options. If you have limited storage and budget, one good glass is perfectly fine—go with just a burgundy glass, which can be used for whites, reds, and even Champagne. But if the world is your oyster, there’s lots of fantastic glassware that’s fun to collect.

Modern glassware often has a bend in the glass that dictates the level to pour to, but otherwise, a good rule of thumb is to fill the glass a quarter to a third of the way full, which is about three to four ounces. I like to count to five in my head as I gently pour; this helps me get the right amount without being too geeky.

A Few Fun Favorites:

Everyday – RIEDEL WINEWINGS SAUVIGNON BLANC

Not just for Sauvignon Blanc. These are also terrific for rosé, red Burgundy and Barolo, too, not to mention quite attractive.

Multi-purpose – RAJ PARR WINE GLASS

I like these not only because my friend Raj is the mastermind behind them but also because they are truly great for all sorts of beverages. Think beyond wine to beer or cider or maybe even (look away, Raj) an iced tea.

Special Occasion – CONTERNO SENSORY GLASS

Also not to miss, anything Conterno from the bottle.

Local Resources:

COAST 2 COAST COLLECTION
1114 State St., Ste. 10, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

FIELD + FORT
2580 Lillie Ave., Summerland, CA 93067