If we ask the average consumer, they would say there are three different types of wine glasses. The large ones for red wine, smaller ones for white wine, and the narrow long glasses for sparkling wines. And while this is largely true, there's a little more nuance to it.
All traditional wineglasses are designed to have a stem. Not because this really impacts the flavor, but to keep the wine at the right temperature when holding the glass. The shape of the bowl, however, does impact our experience of flavor. The way we hold our head when drinking, the depth of the nose inside the glass, the curvature of the glass as it slopes upwards can all change the way we smell and taste different types of wine.
Let's talk about red wine glasses for example. Traditionally, red wines are served in a glass that has a wider and larger bowl. This because it promotes more oxidation which generally suits red wines better as it brings out the complexities of the wine. Even within the red wine glass category, there are different shapes. Glasses used for Bordeaux are generally designed to direct wine towards the back of the mouth, while glasses used for Burgundy are broader and aim to hit the front of the mouth. As the tongue has different receptors for different types of flavor profiles, the goal is to optimize where the alcohol will hit the mouth.
Other than size and shape, the size of the opening of the glass can also play a factor. A glass that has an opening that is too narrow can hide a lot of the aromas from a wine. Additionally, a sparkling wine glass is shaped the way it is in order to preserve the carbonation in the glass as long as possible, and it's opening is slated inwards for the same purpose.
To give you an overview, the below info-graphic shows a good range of wine glasses.
As an additional example, below you can see the variety of glassware available for beer.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmullen/2016/08/25/why-the-shape-of-a-glass-shapes-the-taste-of-your-wine/#546fbae26554
https://winefolly.com/tutorial/the-importance-of-a-proper-wine-glass/
https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-beer-glasses/
Thank you for sharing this, Julie! It's interesting to see that there are distinct glasses for different types of beers, just as there are for different types of wines. I should have expected the Belgian to enlighten me on that one :)
ReplyDeleteI will say that as much as I like the Gabriel Glas wine glass, I think there is something fun about having different glasses for different types of wine. I don't think I will ever choose to dedicate the shelf space to the full array of glasses that are in the infographic you shared, but I do appreciate having distinct glasses for whites, reds, sparkling wines, and dessert wines. It may be irrational, but drinking from a sparkling wine glass in particular is a much more fun experience than drinking from a normal wine glass. I even love sparkling wine cocktails just a little bit more for that reason.
However, I do find it surprising that the major wine certification bodies, including the Master Court of Sommeliers and the Wine and Spirit Education Trust with which I am most familiar, mandate a standard tasting glass for all wines tasted in their exams. Those glasses, called ISO tasting glasses, most closely resemble the port glass in the wine infographic that you shared. They are small, 21.5cL glasses that are designed for use with all types of wines. ISO glasses have ultra clear glass for ease of describing visual appearance, and they are highly resistant to breakage. Unfortunately, they are nowhere near as much fun to drink from as an elegant champagne flute or the very swirl-friendly Gabriel Glas.
Source:
https://www.wineware.co.uk/glassware/what-makes-iso-wine-tasting-glasses-so-popular