A Definitive Guide to the Best Wine Glasses

Studies have shown that the shape of a glass can significantly influence the movement and concentration of ethanol vapors, ultimately affecting a wine or spirit’s flavors and aromas. This is exactly what makes certain glasses better suited to certain wines than others, which is the idea behind varietal-specific, category-specific, and many all-purpose wine glasses. Of course, stemware shopping can be overwhelming, so we’ve broken it down to the best of the basics. Read on for our essential wine glass picks.

Varietals: Most oenophiles don’t need to go all-out with every varietal-specific wine glass on the market—in fact, casual drinkers can cover a lot of ground with a high-quality all-purpose option, and if you do want to specifically cover a few core varietals (e.g. Bordeaux, Cabernet, Burgundy, Chardonnay, Riesling, et al), then you can go for glasses that are designed to accompany either the exact varietal or the general category it falls into, such as light-bodied reds and full-bodied whites.

Size and Shape: In general, fuller-bodied red wines are more tannic, and wines in this category call for a larger bowl and a wider opening to give the wine more surface area in order for it to open up (this describes a classic large Bordeaux glass). Burgundy glasses feature a large bowl with a narrowed opening so as to keep delicate aromas inside the glass; red wines in between these two categories (such as Syrah or Malbec) work well in “standard” red wine glasses (i.e. unspecified red wine glasses) as well as high-quality all-purpose glasses. The same approaches can be applied to white wines when it comes to body and aroma, though tannins are not a concern in white wines.

Materials: Crystal is always a sound choice when shopping for the perfect wine glasses. Unlike regular glass, it is possible to produce an extremely thin vessel out of crystal that still offers some level of durability. When talking about wine glasses, the thinner the lip, the better the experience (this is also usually an indicator of high quality, as is the clarity of the glass—sommeliers gravitate toward high-end brands like Zalto for these reasons).

The Gabriel-Glas Gold Edition is an incredibly thin, mouth-blown wine glass that’s designed to work well with a number of different wine styles, thanks to its broader base, which provides more surface area, and gently sloped walls with a narrowed opening to encourage decantation and aroma preservation, respectively. These featherweight glasses might feel extremely delicate, but cleaning them in the dishwasher is recommended (they’re less likely to break this way).

Light-bodied white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chenin Blanc thrive in Riedel’s Vinum Sauvignon Blanc glasses, which are also great for dessert wines (think Ports and sherries), ticking several boxes at once. These glasses are machine made and dishwasher safe.

Balancing the fine line between durability and delicate design, this best-selling set of four is made from Italian-crafted glass that's also dishwasher safe. The bulbous shape sits comfortably in your palm and is perfect for swirling red wine to release its aroma.

Depending on the restaurant and its service level, the quality of the stemware will differ—for reference, higher-quality wine glasses tend to be quite delicate and fine, while more approachable wine glasses will usually be heavier and thicker. In general, thin glasses with good clarity are most ideal for the wine drinking experience.

Crystal, whether lead-free or not, makes it possible to produce wine glasses that are razor-thin yet still durable. Lead-free is usually ideal when it comes to drinkware, but lead is only really of significant concern for vessels designed to hold liquids for extended periods of time, such as spirits decanters, as the lead can leach into the liquid after prolonged contact.

The silhouette of a wine glass is certainly among the numerous factors that can influence a wine’s aroma and flavor characteristics. Again, the shape of the glass primarily affects the concentration and movement of a wine or spirit’s vapors, resulting in detectable changes on the nose and palate.