Choosing Wine Glasses - the Choice of Crystal or Glass, the Effect of Shape and Size

Having a special glass for Shiraz, another for chardonnay and yet another for pinot?  Can we not use a common glass for all wine?  Does it really make the wine taste better with a unique glass? 

There are indeed some basics in using an appropriate wine glass for specific categories of wine.

First of the basics :  The material used to make the drinking glass. 

Crystal or glass?  The question is not just the material per se, but whether the finished product is one that fits the requirements as far as wine drinking is concerned.  At the very minimal, the glass needs sufficient clarity for a full and proper appreciation of the colour of the wine. 

The colour of wine is important as it indicates the maturity of the wine, and some could even tell the type or groups of grapes from which the wine is produced. 

The clarity is also needed to have a good view of the wine legs or tears, which tells the level of alcohol content that resides in the wine. 

Crystal has no problem in meeting this criteria, but only very superior grade glass can measure up.  Certain crystal glasses are manufactured with lower wall weight, that is they have a thinner wall at the bowl, while others differ.  It is believed that the thinner it is, the better the clarity.  However, a thinner wall would be more breakable than a thicker one, and surely you won't want to leave these expensive stuffs to chance. 

Second on the priority : Whether the shape of the wine glasses is crafted to capture the aromas presented by the wine.

When food is consumed, about 80% of the stimulation comes from smelling or olfaction, while the rest from taste or gustation.  The reason why when we are sick and having a blocked nose, the food often taste bland.

A great part of the wine drinking experience, and indeed the pleasure of it, is in discovering the fragrance, generally termed bouquet for its complexity that flows from the wine as it oxygenates.  Because wine releases aromas while oxygenating, the shape of the glassware needs to allow for swirling to enhance this process.

Third of the advance feature : The size and design of the rim and bowl - how the wine is being introduced and directed into the oral cavity of the mouth.

Though not many ordinary wine drinkers pay attention to this area, and indeed this is less commonly emphasized, yet it is worth a mentioning.  This is because while much of the characteristics of wine are closely similar, there are some with very drastic differences.  Such drastic differences can be seen between very sweet wines like ports, liqueur and late harvests, against wines like chardonnay or any of the reds.

The size and design of the rim, and that of the bowl would determine where the wine would flow and linger in the mouth.   Thus in choosing a specific glass, a drinker can predetermine where the wine flows, which areas of the mouth and tongue gets stimulated, resulting in a pleasurable wine drinking experience. 

More will be written on the different shapes and designs of wine glasses or stemware.  But for now, it sufficed to conclude that you cannot use a common glass for all wines, but over emphasizing and over specializing can be unnecessary and extravagance.