Choosing the Perfect Glass For Each Wine
If you're new to the art of being a wine conneisseur, keep in mind that wine glasses are not like beer goggles. The term refers to the various goblets, decanters and stemware that you will need to use in order to properly serve wine. The shape and substance of a container that wine is served in affects the interplay of flavors in the beverage.
Here are some of the different types of wine glasses you will need to keep in your kitchen cabinet, in order to be able to serve wine for any occasion.
Wine Glasses
The wine glass has three components: a foot, a stem, and a bowl. The stem allows the drinker to grasp the glass without getting fingerprints on the bowl and affecting the flavor of the wine by contact with body heat. The bowl holds the wine, and the foot allows the glass to stand upright.
For drinking red wine, a wide bowl is ideal, since air will mellow the complex, heavy flavors of most red wines. Red wine glasses can be further divided into Bordeaux glasses, which direct wine to the back of the mouth, and Burgundy glasses, which concentrate the wine on the tongue. White wine responds better to glasses with a narrower bowl, which reduces contact between wine and air and keeps the wine's crisp, refreshing taste longer.
Decanter
Glass decanters, which catch any sediment in a wine before it is poured into wine glasses, have been in use since ancient Rome, according to Wikipedia. In the 18th century, the British introduced a stopper, so that less of the wine's pungent aroma can escape into the air. A carafe is similar, but does not have a stopper.
Champagne Glasses
Champagne is typically served in a thin champagne flute which allows carbonation to stay in the drink longer. It is also space-efficient, allowing waiters to fit more of them on a tray during a fancy gathering. There is also the champagne coupe, a wide saucer-shaped glass. While your champagne will go flat faster if you drink it out of a coupe, this glass is much in vogue at weddings, where it can be stacked to form a dripping tower of champagne.
Tumblers
A tumbler is just the bowl part of the glass, without the stem or foot. They reflect a more casual approach to wine, but have the advantage of being less prone to breaking in the sink or dishwasher.