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Writer's pictureRoel Peters

The Wine Glass

With my articles so far, I tried to guide you a bit in Wine land.

One of the most important things related to your wine experience is the wine glass…


Of course is it practically impossible to purchase separate wine glasses for each type of wine, and that is not the goal of this article, just see it as some useful wine knowledge and take advantage of it.


3 basic rules that a wine glass must comply with:


1. It is colorless and clear. Nowadays there are many "trendy" wine glasses for sale with all kinds of patterns and colors. Because of all this fuss you are no longer able to judge the actual color of the wine, something that is very decisive for your "wine experience".


2. The chalice should be round and taper towards the top (with an angular glass it is difficult to “swirl”). Because of the taper shape, the bouquet of the wine remains in the glass for a little longer and you prevent the wine from leaving the glass during "swirling".


3. A good glass has a stem so that we do not have to touch the chalice with our hands so that it remains clear. In addition, we prevent the wine from unnecessarily increasing a few degrees in temperature.


Which glass with which wine?


Because the tongue perceives sweet at the tip, the sides at the front salty, the sides in the middle sour and bitter at the back, it is important where the wine contact first takes place on the tongue. This is determined by the shape of the glass. From a glass with a large chalice with a large diameter, the wine ends up in the middle of the tongue. There you will especially taste the acids. While a glass with a curved top rim (see photo) allows the wine to pass first the tip of the tongue where sweetness is perceived. It goes too far to go into detail here, but here is my advice;


• Serve sparkling wines in a slender, tulip-shaped glass that tapers. The odor created by maturing in the bottle can only be perceived if it can concentrate above the surface of the liquid.

• Pour low-alcohol white and rosé wines into a glass that is not too wide and tall, because only the fruitiness should be emphasized. To possibly weaken acidity, an outwardly curved top edge would be ideal so that the wine makes contact first on the tip of the tongue (where sweet is perceived).

• Ripe, full-bodied white and rosé wine is best served in a tall glass with a high chalice that tapers considerably. This allows the wine to mix with the air and enhances the bouquet.

• Velvety, full-bodied red wines deserve to be served in a glass with a generously wide chalice. The full-bodied aromas need sufficient surface area to come into their own.

• Spicy red wine likes a balloon-shaped glass with a curved rim so that the very spicy aromas are optimally supported and the fine fruit is emphasized by reaching the tip of the tongue first.

• Tannin-rich red wines need a lot of oxygen contact to bring out their fragrance. To properly highlight the complexity of this type of wine a glass with a high chalice and a large diameter is recommended.


Tips :


• Glassware easily absorbs odors, so make sure you place the glasses in the cupboard with the chalice upwards. This prevents the glass from taking on the smell of your cabinet (or the smell of the detergent you use to clean the cabinet).

• Wine glasses can be washed in the dishwasher, but it is even better to clean them with warm water and a little bit of detergent. Then rinse with clean water and dry with a non-fluffy tea towel or a microfiber cloth that has not been washed with fabric softener.


I wish you all a lot of drinking pleasure! Roel Peters RP-Vinos USA


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