Know Your Glassware: Wine Glasses

Using the right wine glasses certainly add to the enjoyment of consuming wine. Having experienced drinking wine from ordinary glasses, it made the experience a little less special. Plus, I had this feeling that I was doing something wrong. Not to be a snob or anything – I mean ordinary glasses can do if the situation calls for it – but the right wine glass with the right type of wine is something that all wine lovers must know because the glass shape can influence how the wine is perceived (its aroma, flavors, etc).

The type of wine glass you choose depends on the type of wine you plan to consume.

Red Wine Glasses – glassware for red wine are typically more rounded, which enhances the oxidization and subtly alters the flavors and aroma of the wine. Oxidation agrees with red wine, as the flavors are smoothed out after being exposed to air. There are two styles of red wine glasses:

· Bordeaux glass – tall glassware with a wide bowl (this shape directs the wine to the back of the mouth); suitable for full-bodied wines such as Cabernet and Merlot

· Burgundy glass – broader and has a bigger bowl than a Bordeaux wine glass; this shape is for the accumulation of flavors and aromas of more delicate red wines such as Pinot Noirs and the shape directs the wine to the tip of the tongue.

White Wine Glasses – white wine glasses are more varied than their red wine counterparts, from the long and narrow champagne flutes, to the wide and shallow glasses used to drink chardonnay. More full bodied white wines are consumed using glasses with wider mouths to enhance oxidation while more delicate white wines are best consumed using glasses with smaller mouths. Champagne flutes, in particular, have really small mouths compared to most other wine glasses to keep the wine sparkling longer.

Wine 101 - Wine Glasses How to Choose The Right Wine Glass

Choosing Wine Glasses

When it comes to getting the type of glass you want to drink with your wine, you may want to consider a couple of things. The two things to remember when considering a wine tasting glass consist of the size of the glass and the shape of the glass.

The most common shape of wine glass is the chimney shape. Broader on the bottom of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening.  The reason a broader bottom is important is that it allows you a better way to swirl the wine.  This is important to make sure the wine is mixed properly.

Size Doesn’t Matter

The size of the glass is not that important as long as it’s large enough for you to smell the wine. Many people like the burgundy style wine glasses while others like the convenience of a smaller glass.

Factors that will enhance your tasting experience include glassware that is clear and free of cuts.

Many glass manufacturers have designed specific glasses for specific wine types.  These are specially made so they can be very expensive but may be worth it to certain people.

Cleaning Wine Glasses

Avoid soap when it comes to cleaning the glasses, instead use hot water and rinse thoroughly.  Soap can get easily get trapped in the glass and you may taste more of it than the wine.

You should try to find wine glasses that are easy to clean.

Wine 101- Shows You How To Become A Wine Expert!

As when many things in life, some people may claim to be an expert on a certain topic and they most likely aren’t.

The tasting of wine is much the same and unless you are a wine aficionado, you will have a very limited idea of exactly all that is involved when it comes to tasting wine. The majority of us just choose a wine we like and drink it. If you want o learn more about wine then you should keep reading as this is a wine 101 article.

In order to learn more about wines, you may want to consider visiting wineries and asking questions from their tour guides or also look for some information on the Internet to help educate you as well. The more you learn about wine, then the more experienced you’ll be when it comes to knowing what to taste for.

For example red wines have a different taste from white wines and you will need to taste both of these at regular intervals to be able to pinpoint many of the differences. By doing so you can get a better idea of what wine 101 can help you achieve.

Next in wine 101 is to taste some wine by pouring wine into a glass. Swirl the wine in the glass so that the wine and the substances in it meld. Then, you should hold the wine up to the light and see how long it takes for the leg of the wine to pour back into the bottom of the glass. The quality of the wine is based on this process.

The next step in wine 101 involves smelling the wine. Here you will need to first take a quick sniff. From this sniff you should be able to define what flavors are in the wine. Once you have decided what these flavors might be, you should swirl the wine again to make certain everything is mixed properly.

The final step in 101 is where you will take a small sip of the wine, hold it for a few minutes and try to make certain you savor all the flavors the wine has to offer. When these flavors are present in your mouth, you should have a good idea of what the wine tastes like and can describe it accordingly.