Choosing the Right White Wine Glassware is More Important Than You Think
Red wine glasses might get most of the attention, but choosing the right white wine glasses also has a huge impact on the wine you're drinking. And while white glassware comes in a huge range of shapes and sizes, finding the right one for your favorite white wine doesn't have to be difficult. Just read on for all the strategies you need to choose wisely.
Do wine glasses really make a difference?
Absolutely: Choosing the right wine glass can enhance the most desirable characteristics of a certain type of wine, making each sip more pleasurable and complex. And with so many to choose from, it's easy to find the best white wine glass to suit your needs and tastes.
Which wine glass is for white wine?
Whether for red wine or white wine, all wine glasses should have a narrower lip than the widest part of the bowl. This allows the glass to capture more aromas, intensify flavors, and help prevent sloshing out of the glass when the wine itself is swirled. White wine glassware tends to be a bit smaller than red wine glassware, since pouring slightly less white wine into a glass means you'll finish it a bit more quickly, before it has a chance to lose its chill. None of this changes with either a stemless white wine glass or one with a stem, as the white wine glass shape is the most important factor. Just be careful: A stemless white wine glass, if you hold it for too long, will cause the wine inside to heat up too much, making the fruit flavors seems overripe or stewed, minimizing the perception of acidity, and amplifying the sensation of alcohol.
Are there different wine glasses for different styles of white wine?
Yes! In fact, there often seems to be a specific style of white wine glass for virtually every grape variety and region of wine production. Not only can you buy a Chardonnay wine glass, a Riesling wine glass, and other white wine glasses designed for seemingly every other grape variety, but even within those categories of white wine glass there is often a range of options: Chardonnay from Burgundy as opposed to Chardonnay from Napa, for example, and different styles of Sauvignon Blanc glasses. The choices are seemingly endless!
What are the popular brands of white wine glasses?
There are many excellent white wine glass manufacturers, but some of the most popular are Riedel white wine glasses, Luminarc, Schott Zwiesel, and Luigi Bormioli, among others. Riedel is often credited with popularizing the concept of using a different type of white wine glass for each different type of white wine.
Should you swirl white wine?
Absolutely: Swirling white wine accomplishes the same thing as swirling red wine: It aerates the wine, allowing it to open up and more fully express its aromas and flavors.
Why does wine taste better in a thin glass?
Wine tastes better in a thin glass because there is less material to get between the wine itself and your palate. Not only does wine taste better in a thin glass, but it also is a more pleasurable textural experience.
Why do wine glasses have stems?
Wine glasses have stems so that, when you hold the glass by the stem, the heat of your hand doesn't warm up the temperature of the wine inside, which can often have a negative effect on the flavors and aromas of the wine. This is true for both red wine and white wine.
How do you hold a white or red wine glass?
You always hold a red wine glass and a white wine glass by the stem. Holding it by the bowl risks warming up the wine inside and adversely affecting its aromas and flavors. If you are using a stemless wine glass, it's best to rest the glass on a table between sips, as opposed to holding it and warming up the wine itself.
Browse our full selection of white wine glassware online or check out our selection of highly rated white wine glassware for great new white wine glassware to try this week!
Want to learn more about white wine glassware?
Visit our Wine Glass 101 Guide to learn more about white wine glassware.
