This shape helped to concentrate the aromas and directed them straight to the nose. We liked that this glass has the sensibilities of a high-end crystal glass but has more weight to it and makes swirling feel even more enjoyable.ĭuring testing, we appreciated the conical design-making it feel like a larger, blown-up version of a brandy snifter. The large, angular bowl also allowed for a thorough swirl. The heavier weight and thick stem felt comfortable and secure in the hand. Our tester liked that the stem was nice and thick and didn't feel hyper-delicate like many high-end glasses. Available in two quality levels, the StandArt Edition and the Gold Edition, Febles recommends trying the former first: “ will show a lot of different styles near their best, allowing you to explore and develop your palate before committing to more specialized glassware.' He explains, “Generally, you want a glass with a wide bowl, thin glass, and a stem: The bowl allows aromas to emerge and gather, thin glass allows the wine to flow easily into your mouth, and a stem prevents your hand from unnecessarily warming the wine or contributing off-aromas from whatever you've been touching.”Īfter unboxing the glasses, our at-home tester noted that for an approachable price point, these glasses still offer an elevated design-elegant but appropriate for everyday use. One industry favorite is the Gabriel-Glas “One for All” style. “If you're just starting out, you want to make sure you have a glass that lets you appreciate the nuances of a great pour-but don't break the bank on separate $60 crystal glasses for each style of wine.' One way to go about this, according to Febles, is to opt for a durable, all-purpose glass that works with a wide variety of wines. Rafa García Febles, the beverage manager and sommelier at Le Crocodile in New York, has a tried-and-true mantra for beginners when glassware shopping. We also looked at how these glasses felt in the hand, the thickness of the rims, the stem lengths, how the shapes affected aromas and tastes, and whether or not they were easily cleaned. Some of the attributes in which we rated each item included design, quality, size, and durability. To help weed through the many glasses for red wine available, we carefully home-tested our favorites. The broad category of reds is no exception, so we put our top red wine glasses to the test. That isn’t always so easy, especially given the countless options available on the market, from varietal-specific glasses to all-purpose styles, not to mention specialty designs for sparkling wines and the like.

Shopping for wine glasses is both an art and a science-whether you're just starting out or adding to an existing collection, you’ll want to find that sweet spot between aesthetics and utility.

“The stem is thought to be an invention of the church to allow for easier viewing by the clergy during ceremonies, with most glasses predating that being small and stemless.”

“Wine glasses, as we know them, came into fashion during the medieval ages,” says Alex Augustine, a sommelier at Chicago's Aba.

Types of wine glasses with pictures