A great glass of wine can be an experience to remember on any occasion. Most memories are remembered not only by the occasion, but often the activity. Enjoying your favorite glass of wine with good friends are memories that will never be forgotten and talked about for years to come.

Unfortunately you may not understand why different glasses are used for red and white wines. In this article you\’ll gain a better understanding on the “why” of drinking your favorite wine with particular glass.

Wine Glass Materials

The type of materials a wine glass is made of is truly important in how your wine tasting experience is going to be. Again it all comes down to how much you want to invest and how you want to experience your wines.

What are some characteristics of an excellent wine glass material?

Clear and Smooth

If you want to be able to observe the color and evaluate the wine then clear, smooth and thin glass is recommended. The best wine glasses will be made of crystal and is thinner than a standard drinking glass. Usually wine glasses are made in a process of blowing the glass to make it very thin.

The thin glass is supposed to positively affect the taste of your wine by making it easier to properly sip the wine versus a thick glass which makes this more difficult.

Shapes of Wine Glasses

Wine glasses have different shapes and sizes, not just for the looks, but each shape and size has a particular purpose. Depending on what type of wine you drink, there are some shapes and sizes specifically for red and white wines

Red Wine Glasses

Red wine glasses have shorter stems than white wine glasses. The bowl is larger than other glasses, with a slight taper of the lip at the top of the bowl.

Why?

Larger bowls allow more air to contact the wine, allowing you to enjoy the aromas with your nose and mouth.

The stem is shorter because most red wine glasses can be held at the bottom of the bowl versus the stem. Heat transfer from the hand to the glass doesn\’t affect red wines aroma and flavor, so the stem isn\’t a real factor.

In fact, there are stemless red wine glasses that can be purchases now, so you don\’t have to hassle with the stem while enjoying your favorite red wine.

The slight taper design on the top of the bowl helps to direct the wine to the correct parts of the mouth. The back and sides of the mouth are where you\’ll best enjoy your red wine.

White Wine Glasses

Wine glasses for white wine are taller with longer stems, a smaller bowl and the lip is tapered again to specifically reach the right place in your mouth.

The longer stem makes it easy to hold because unlike red wine, white wine need to remain at a cooler temperature and heat transfer from the hand may affect the taste. A smaller bowl limits the air exposure and the tapered lip with a white wine glass and the bowl are made to deliver the wine to the front of the mouth.

When it comes to drinking wine, the shape, materials and design all have a purpose. Knowing the difference will help your enjoy your wine and get the most out of the flavor and aromas of each.

Author Bio: Steve is a wine taster for GraysOnline, who stocks high quality Red Wine, white wines and sparkling wines online. Enjoy Free Delivery on fixed priced wine and great prices from our wine auctions.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: wine,wine auction,red wine,white wine