A wine glass is far more than a simple accessory. Choosing the right wine glass is essential for your tasting and for getting the most out of your wine. That said, the choice of wine glasses is enormous. So we’ve put together a buying guide to finally help you decide which wine glass to choose.
The best wine glasses
Choosing the right wine glass for a tasting is crucial if you want to enjoy your wine. Whether it’s a red wine glass or a white wine glass, you’ll find something to suit you. Here’s a selection of the two best wine glasses to keep you company as you explore your cellar. The glasses we’ve picked here are versatile, meaning they let you taste every kind of wine. That said, if you want to go further and choose the best wine glass for your tasting, you’ll find more specialised recommendations later in the article.
| Price: 24 euros for 6! | Chef et Sommelier: versatile wine glass Chef et Sommelier offers a set of 6 versatile wine glasses. These are especially handy if you tend to taste very different wines and don’t want to fill your cupboards with glasses. On top of that, the price is unbeatable! Buy this glass |
| Price: 50 euros for 4 | L’atelier du vin - 4 explorer glasses L’atelier du vin has designed a particularly interesting versatile wine glass. It features a mark inside the glass that helps the wine release its aromas. It’s a lovely bit of innovation. The quality of these wine glasses is widely recognised and will let you run plenty of tastings. Buy this glass |
The different wine glasses
Which glass for white wine? Which glass for red wine? Those are the two questions on your mind when it’s time to choose the vessel for your next tasting. With this guide, you’ll know exactly which wine glass to choose. Naturally, the choice of glass depends on what you plan to taste. So here’s a rundown of the different glasses you can use. By the way, there are two big names in wine glasses that are real benchmarks: Riedel and Zalto.
Champagne glass
It’s high time to break out the bubbles and enjoy some Champagne. But you need the right glass to taste a good Champagne. As the name suggests, the Champagne glass is used specifically for Champagne. The shape of this glass limits the loss of bubbles and develops the aromas so you can fully enjoy this lovely drink. Of course, Champagne glasses also have a stem so you can hold them without warming the contents. The Champagne glass usually has a capacity of around 12 cl. You can of course use a Champagne glass to enjoy a good Pet Nat or pétillant naturel.
| Price: 27.50 euros for 6! | Chef et Sommelier - 6 Champagne flutes Here are Champagne glasses that will be absolutely perfect to start with! This set includes 6 high-quality Champagne flutes at an unbeatable price. The packaging is properly protective and should let you receive these glasses with complete peace of mind. Buy this glass |
Burgundy glass
To taste a Burgundy wine, we recommend using glasses with a wide bowl, a rounded shape, and a much narrower rim. These glasses are designed for tasting Burgundy wine and the grape varieties associated with it, such as Pinot Noir. The shape of this glass brings out these grape varieties and shows off the delicious nectar you’ve chosen to perfection. Of course, be careful not to fill the bowl completely when tasting the wine. That way you’ll allow the wine to breathe properly, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how beneficial that can be. So here’s our selection of glasses for Burgundy wine. Whichever one you choose, you can’t go wrong!
| Price: 74.80 euros for two | Zalto - 2 Burgundy glasses Zalto is one of the biggest names in the world of wine glasses. So you won’t be disappointed by this set of two Burgundy wine glasses. Packed in a wooden case, these glasses have the perfect shape for tasting Burgundy wine. Buy this glass |
| Price: 52 euros for two | Riedel - 2 Burgundy glasses This set from Riedel is excellent value for money. The glasses are very high quality and perfectly suited to Burgundy wine. Your tastings may well enter a new dimension thanks to these glasses. Buy this glass |
Bordeaux glass
For Bordeaux wine, we suggest going for glasses shaped like a tulip. The wide bowl of these glasses oxygenates the wine while concentrating the aromas at the nose and spreading the wine across the palate. In other words, the Bordeaux glass is meant for wines made from Cabernet or Merlot. These wines need to be left free, but at the same time their aromas mustn’t disappear. By choosing a Bordeaux glass, you’ll be able to run a great tasting and no longer be afraid to uncork the grands crus in your wine cellar. So here’s a selection of the two best wine glasses for tasting a Bordeaux wine.
| Price: 72.80 euros for two | Zalto - 2 Bordeaux glasses Here are the glasses you’ve been waiting for to properly taste your Bordeaux grands crus. The Zalto Bordeaux glasses are excellent and will keep you company throughout all your tastings. So you can buy these wine glasses with your eyes closed! Buy this glass |
| Price: 45 euros for two | Riedel - 2 Bordeaux glasses Riedel offers two Bordeaux wine glasses at a very tempting price for outstanding quality. So treat yourself to this set of two Bordeaux glasses. The quality of Riedel glasses needs no introduction, so go ahead and grab this lovely deal! Buy this glass |
ISO glass (or INAO glass)
The ISO glass, or INAO glass, is the glass used by juries during professional tastings. It’s called the INAO glass because it’s recognised by the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité. As a result, the design of this glass is governed by a very strict and precise set of specifications. It’s the product of extensive experimentation. For example, the glass must be transparent and colourless. It must also be made of crystalline (9% lead). These specifications are designed to guarantee equal treatment of the different wines being tasted and to make comparisons easier. What’s more, this professional wine glass can be used with every type of wine: red, rosé, or white. Its main drawback, on the other hand, lies in its small, not always pleasant size and in the fact that it isn’t directly suited to a single type of wine.
| Price: 13.60 euros for 6! | INAO wine glass (6 glasses) If you’re after a cheap wine glass that meets professional standards, you’ve found what you’re looking for. The INAO wine glass meets a precise set of specifications and is used in many professional tastings. Buy this glass |
White wine glass
To taste white wine properly, you need the right wine glass. As a general rule, choose a glass with a wide opening for grape varieties like Chardonnay, and a narrower opening for slightly more discreet white wines. The role of white wine glasses is to intensify the wine’s aromas so you can fully enjoy them. You’ll find glasses suited to specific grape varieties at Riedel or Zalto.
| Price: 33.15 euros for 2 | Riedel white wine glass (2 glasses) This Riedel white wine glass is perfect for your tastings, especially for Chardonnay! Riedel offers a wide range of white wine glasses where you’re bound to find something to suit all your tastings. Buy this glass |
Versatile wine glass
The versatile wine glass is perfect if you don’t have room in your cupboards for lots of glasses. In the same way, choosing a versatile wine glass cuts down the investment needed to taste your wine properly. For a versatile glass, you can choose an INAO glass. These glasses don’t necessarily allow the grape variety to express itself perfectly. Still, in every case it’s a good first step that will let you put on a lovely tasting.
Black wine glass
For blind tastings, using a black glass can be particularly interesting. These black glasses make it impossible to see what’s inside. Especially useful for evenings with friends or for events around wine, these black glasses are bound to have their effect. It’s up to you to guess the wine you’re drinking thanks to your black tasting glasses! That said, it’s worth noting that by buying glasses like these, you’re not necessarily focusing on their intrinsic qualities but rather on their colour, all in the name of great blind tastings.
| Price: 32.90 euros for 6! | Black wine glass (6 glasses) For your blind tastings, you’ve found your best ally! The black wine glass will have an undeniable effect during these incredible moments. Enjoy the amazing experience of working out which nectar you’re tasting thanks to these blind-tasting glasses. Buy this glass |
Cheap wine glass
Of course, investing in good wine glasses can come at a price. So you might want to go for a more budget-friendly option. Here you’ll find a few tips for choosing a good cheap wine glass. Even if you’d like to invest in a good wine glass, perhaps you’re rather clumsy. If you don’t want to take that risk, you can opt for a cheap wine glass.
Mind the quality of the glass
You might think every wine glass is the same, but that’s not the case. The quality of the glass can vary widely depending on the wine glass you choose. Contrary to what people think, the quality of the glass can influence the quality of its contents. As it happens, a wine can be elevated or, on the contrary, spoiled depending on your choice. If you’re preparing a lovely tasting or the opening of a fine bottle that has waited many years in your cellar, remember to equip yourself with the right glasses. It would be a shame to ruin your tasting or miss the subtlety of certain flavours because you didn’t know how to choose the right glass.
Avoid stemless wine glasses
As a general rule, avoid buying a stemless wine glass. It’s no accident that traditional glasses have a stem: it’s so you don’t warm the contents when you hold the glass. There’s even a method for holding your wine glass properly.
Limit your purchases with a versatile wine glass
If you want to buy a cheap wine glass, you can go for a versatile wine glass. That way, instead of having to buy lots of different glasses for each of the wines you want to taste, you’ll only have one glass to buy. You can therefore greatly reduce the budget needed to buy wine glasses. As a result, we recommend going for an INAO wine glass if your budget is tight.
Where to buy wine glasses?
As a general rule, there are plenty of places where you can buy wine glasses. Whether at Maison du Monde, Gifi, Ikea, Alinea, or Auchan, many shops sell wine glasses. That said, we strongly recommend going for the big wine glass brands to be sure of the quality of your purchase. For that, you can buy your wine glass on Amazon. By the way, you can buy wine glasses to celebrate the purchase of your wine cellar. It also makes a lovely gift that can go alongside a wine book to put into practice!
Why is the wine glass important?
It’s not only the contents that matter. The vessel matters too. You can’t leave your wine glass to chance. It’s going to hold the nectar you chose so carefully. You may even have waited several years before taking your bottle out of your wine cellar. It would be a shame not to fully enjoy your wine tasting. So investing in quality wine glasses is the final step to really enjoying your wine. It would be a shame not to see things through when this investment can genuinely multiply your pleasure, especially since your wine glass should normally last for several years. By making this investment, you’re ready to take on many more tastings for many years to come.
How to hold your wine glass?
It’s no accident that wine glasses have a stem. The stem lets you hold the wine glass properly and stops its contents from warming up. So to hold your wine glass well, hold it by the stem. Thanks to this little technique, you’ll be able to fully enjoy your wine while keeping it from warming up.
What capacity for a wine glass?
The capacity of a wine glass is generally between 8 and 14 cl. That said, you shouldn’t confuse what you pour into the glass with its total capacity. The total capacity of wine glasses ranges from about 22 to 35 centilitres. But you can guess that you shouldn’t fill your glass completely. So in the end, you’ll serve about 8 to 14 cl of wine per glass. As with wine bottle sizes, there are different sizes of wine glass. Finally, it’s worth noting that the capacity of wine glasses is regulated in France for professionals by the DGCCRF.
Where does the wine glass go?
The question of where and in what order to place wine glasses is often crucial. There are two answers to this question. The first is the most traditional. In the French tradition, when setting the table, the wine glasses are arranged diagonally starting from the soup spoon (the one furthest right). From right to left, you can position the wine glasses in order of size. So you’ll start with the white wine glass, then the red wine glass, and finally the water glass. The Champagne flute goes behind these glasses. While this French tradition isn’t a daily must, there’s one rule you can keep in mind. Place the glasses from left to right, from largest to smallest. You now know everything about wine glasses and can raise a toast to our health!
The different parts of a wine glass
A wine glass has a very particular anatomy. We can pick out three main parts in a wine glass: the bowl, the stem, and the base. The base is the foot of the glass: it keeps the glass balanced. The stem connects the base to the bowl (also called the cup). !the different parts of the wine glass The bowl is made up of four parts (from top to bottom):
- The rim: this is the part of the glass you rest your lips on. The rim can be more or less thick depending on the glass.
- The chimney: this is the upper part of the glass. It can be more or less wide. A wine glass with a wide chimney lets the aromas escape easily and lets air rush into the glass to help with oxygenation.
- The shoulder: this is the widest part of the wine glass. Its curve can vary from glass to glass. The shoulder is generally used to mark the level for serving the wine.
- The base of the bowl: this is the part at the bottom of the glass that the wine rests on. Its opening can be more or less wide to allow more or less oxygenation. For example, the base of the bowl of a Burgundy wine glass is fairly wide.
