A dinner party can be a wonderful thing. You invite all your good friends over. You show off your culinary talents in the kitchen. The chat flows well, and so does the champagne.
However, when champagne or wine is involved, you want to let your guests know that you’re clued up on what makes a good Merlot or Chianti special. So if you’re going to dazzle at your dinner party, you may want to learn a thing or two about wine glasses.
Today, we’ll be teaching you about which wine goes into which glass.
Excited? Check out the rest of the article below.
Red Wine
When it comes to wine glasses, manufacturers design the bowl of glass with the surface area at the forefront of their priorities.
Red wine glasses usually have rounder and fuller bowls, with a wider opening than most other wine glasses. The sheer size of this glass lets you poke your nose in to detect the aroma and flavor.
Why do you need a larger bowl for red wines?
Red wines need a larger surface area to breathe and soften. Scientifically speaking, when wine and air interact, evaporation and oxidation begin to occur. When you let these processes run their course, you can improve the taste of the wine - by altering the chemistry.
Volatile compounds (which are found in alcoholic drinks) evaporate quickly in the air. When you use a glass with a large surface area, these compounds dissipate at a rapid rate. Consequently, the bouquet of your drink comes through.
A larger glass also allows oxidation to occur. This process is important if you want the flavor and nose of the wine to come through, mainly if the wine has been kept in a cellar for a while.
These chemical reactions are vital for creating the intriguing flavor profiles of all your favorite red wines. In short, a large glass with a round bowl lets red wine breathe.
White Wine
Generally speaking, white wines don’t need as big a glass as reds to release their flavor and aroma.
White wine glasses feature an upright, U-shaped bowl much smaller than a red wine glass. Small bowls are also great for helping the wine stay cool after being taken out of the refrigerator.
That being said, youthful whites may benefit from glasses with larger openings, as they direct the wine to the sides and tip of your tongue. Conversely, more mature wines are usually served in straight, tall glasses as they allow the wine to the back of the tongue, putting across the intense, pleasing flavor.
Rosé wine
Rosés can be served in white wine glasses because both drinks are produced under similar circumstances; rosés see a lot less skin exposure than red wines.
However, some glasses are tailor-made for rosés, which characteristically come with a fruity, slightly sweeter taste than other wines.
These glasses are made with shorter bowls that are tapered; they sometimes feature a flared rim, which changes the way you sip. The uniquely shaped flare directs wine directly to the tip of the tongue, tantalizing the taste buds.
Sparkling Wine
Don’t think we forgot about bubbly! Depending on your taste, sparkling wine can be served in two types of glass.
Champagne, Cava, and Prosecco are suited to narrow, tall glasses (otherwise known as flutes), which capture the carbon dioxide in the wine to keep it extra bubbly.
Alternatively, if you prefer bottle-fermented sparkling wines, you may choose to use a white wine-style glass, as you’ll want the flavor compounds to breathe - just like you would with other types of wine.
Final Say
As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing wine glass shapes for your next dinner party. We hope we’ve cleared some things up, and we hope your event is a complete success.
