How to Choose a Wine Glass to Suit The Wine?

Answer 1

Wine glasses are widely used and available to wine enthusiasts, offering a selection of wine glasses appropriate to each type of wine. Wine glasses should be chosen to bring out the exquisite taste and aroma of the wine. Choosing a suitable wine glass can be a challenge; follow this guide to help you formulate a good match.

• Step 1: Consider the meal to be served. A wine is best served when matched correctly with the meal or appetizers being served. The best way to match a wine to the food being served is to know what’s on the menu first. Older wines should be served with a simple course. A sweetened or bitter meal and appetizer will emphasize the dryness of a wine and should avoid hard wines with sweet food. The more the salty or acidic the food is, the sweeter the wine choice will taste. Traditionally red wines are paired with red meat and pasta where white wine is paired with fish or chicken. Strong spices, raw fruits, garlic or vinegar may actually damage the wine flavor.

• Step 2: Decant the wine prior to serving. Aged red wines should be decanted 1/2 hour to 1 hour prior to serving in order to remove sediment and allow the wine to breathe. Decanting the matured red wine will capture the wines aroma and flavors.

• Step 3: Choose a wine glass for champagne or sparkling wine. A narrow rim and bowl shaped wine glass, otherwise known as a Flute, should be chosen for sparkling wines or champagne. The flute glass minimizes air contact with the wine or champagne and allows it to maintain its bubbles for as long as possible. You should avoid swirling champagne or sparkling wine in the glass and keep it cool.

• Step 4: Choose a wine glass for a white wine. White wines should be served chilled. Matured white wines are best enjoyed from a smaller bowl and inward rim allowing full enjoyment of the aroma and texture of the wine. A smaller bowl and outward rim should be chosen for un-aged white wines increasing the enjoyment of casual sipping.

• Step 5: Choose a wine glass for un-aged red wines. A large bowl, narrow rim and tall stem, such as the Bordeaux glass, should be chosen for un- aged red wines. The large bowl allows for air flow and swirling of the wine which will capture the aroma of the wine.

• Step 6: Choose a wine glass for matured red wines. Similar to the Bordeaux wine glass, a large bowl with wide rim, such as the burgundy glass, should be chosen for matured or aged red wines. The wider bowl condenses the acidity of the aged red wine and emphasizes the smoother excellence of the wine.

• Step 7: Choose a wine glass for young red wines with bite. An alternative to the Bordeaux wine glass, a smaller and shorter bowl glass can be chosen. This all purpose un-aged red wine glass will take up less room on your dining table giving taste similar to the Bordeaux.

• Step 8: Serve brandy in a brandy snifter. A large bowl with short stem brandy snifter allows for warming of the brandy by the cupping of a hand accentuating the aroma of the brandy.

• Step 9: Fill the wine glass. Only fill the glass 1/3 to 1/2 full to allow the wine to breathe. The air flow and swirling technique emphasizes the aroma allowing complete flavor enjoyment of the wine.

Wine glasses come in a vast variety of designs however the purpose for each style of glass remains the same. Generally wide bowl style glasses are used with red wines and narrow bowl style glasses are used with white wines. Choosing a wine to suit the meal or appetizer being served with a suitable wine glass will accentuate the wines aroma permitting full enjoyment of the wines natural flavors.[pic][pic]