Red wine glasses

The two classic shapes do exactly opposite things. The Burgundy bowl is round and wide, with a rim that curves slightly inward so volatile aromas linger. That model is meant for pinot noir, nebbiolo and other grapes where fragrance matters more than structure, and runs from 75 to 96 cl. The Bordeaux bowl is taller and straighter, guiding the wine deeper into the mouth and thereby softening the tannins of cabernet sauvignon, syrah or tempranillo. There you are looking at around 55 to 75 cl. Both shapes come in toughened hospitality glass and in thin-blown lead-free crystal, and you notice that difference mostly at the rim.

If you want one glass for all red wine, choose a universal bowl between 43 and 55 cl: roomy enough to swirl, small enough not to look empty. If you are after the very largest models, they are with the large wine glasses. White wine calls for different sizes and a different shape, which you will find with the white wine glasses.

Pour up to the widest point and no higher, roughly a fifth of the bowl. Above that point the glass narrows, and that is exactly the space you need to swirl without spilling. Room temperature is a misunderstanding from an era of colder houses: red wine shows best between 16 and 18 degrees, and a light pinot noir can even come to the table slightly cooler.

Young, firm wine softens with air. Half an hour in a decanter works faster than an hour of waiting in the opened bottle. With old wine you decant for an entirely different reason, namely to leave the sediment behind in the bottle. If there is some left over, a sangria with fruit and ice is a fine destination for the rest of the bottle. Finally, never pour into a glass fresh out of a warm dishwasher, as that lifts the temperature in one go.

The stem almost never breaks while drinking. It goes wrong during drying, when you hold the foot and twist the bowl: all the strain then lands on the join between bowl and stem. Hold the bowl and turn the cloth inside it.

In the dishwasher, place glasses so the stems do not touch, choose a short programme and take them out as soon as it finishes. If steam lingers, it settles as limescale and the glass turns cloudy. That haze disappears with a splash of vinegar in the rinse water and a lint-free cloth. Store them upright, so the thin rim rests on nothing.

If you would rather see all models side by side first, the complete overview is with the wine glasses. Looking for a particular brand or a series you already own? Every house has its own page in the menu alongside. If there is wine left over, wine stoppers keep an opened bottle tasting good for a few days. And if you would rather use your red wine as the base for something else, the cocktail pages tell you per recipe which glass it belongs in.