Evolving Wine Glasses – the Character, Shape, and Design – the Ultimate Experience of Wine Drinking
For years, wine glass designers have, through much research and experimentation, come out with different wine glasses. Essentially, wine glasses are designed to bring out the best of the wine, the aroma, taste and mouth feel.
A wine glass or stemware is made up of 3 parts, namely the bowl at the top, the stem in the middle, and the foot at the bottom. The bowl, obviously, is used to contain the wine, while the stem is for holding the glassware, and the foot is to rest it down.
The bowl would determine the aroma and mouth feel of the wine, while the sturdiness and height of the stem, together with the diameter of the foot, keep the glassware from toppling over.
The Champagne Flute
The Champagne Flute has a long and narrow bowl, and smaller rim, though some having a wider rim than the other. Because champagne or sparkling wine does not need swirling and in fact, needs to keep its bubbles or pearls, there should be minimal contact with oxygen at the rim area. It is also important for sparkling wine to keep its temperature down for as long as possible. Hence the flute is designed with narrow and long body for this function.
As for some having a wider rim where it allows for more air contact, a young sparkling wine could then have more exposure to develop its aroma.
The Bordeaux Glass for Red Wine
A typical size of the Bordeaux glass for red wine has about a bowl diameter of 3.75″ and height 9″. Designed for full bodied and very matured wines where sometimes decanting is not advisable, the big bowl allows for fuller and instant oxygenation. The big bowl also provides lots of space for the aroma to be captivated, and at the same time also lots of swirling room.
The thin rim decides the flow of wine to either the top or below the front zone of the tongue, allowing nutty, fruity, or spicy flavors to dominate, before the feel of tannins are directed towards the back of the tongue.
Notwithstanding its original design intention, there is no reason why it should not be used for wines that are less matured, and where one enjoys more aggressive swirling.
The Burgundy
With height almost similar to that of Bordeaux, the Burgundy has a larger bowl diameter, about an inch more at 4.24″. This is to provide the flow angle due to its wider rim.
The wide rim directs the flow right over the front and center zones of the tongue, playing down acidity and accentuating the rounder, mellower qualities of the wine.
The All Purpose Red
More like a scaled down version of the Bordeaux, it is designed for consumption of younger red wines with higher astringent. The shorter and smaller bowl requires less tilting angle and thus allowing a controlled flow of wine with less stimulation on areas of the tongue that is sensitive to tannins.
A practical reason for choosing All Purpose Red is that it occupies lesser table space than the bigger Bordeaux and Burgundy. Hence it suits round table heavy dining, where table space is a restriction.
The Whites
Generally white wines are best served at between 8 and 11 degrees Celsius. Therefore the glasses are made smaller to allow for more frequent refilling. A younger crisp wine usually will have a glass with rim designed open outwards for the enjoyment of casual drinking. Wines with greater maturity and complexity will have the glass with rim inward to capture the fragrance and the aroma.
As the designs of wine glasses continue to evolve, the general characteristics of wine glasses will still vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Ultimately, the experience of the wine in the mouth is still personal.
About the Author
How to Make Pinch Pots : How to Make a Footed Bowl Pinch Pot
|
|
A WATERFORD CRYSTAL NEWGRANGE 7½” FOOTED BOWL £69.99 |
|
|
STUART CRYSTAL – 4″ SWAG & BUD PRESERVE / PICKLE FOOTED BOWL £14.50 |
|
|
LARGE VINTAGE AMBER GLASS FRUIT TRIFLE DISPLAY BOWL FOOTED £11.99 |
|
|
Lead Crystal Footed Bon Bon Dish Euc Gift £0.99 |
|
|
CAITHNESS CRYSTAL GLASS FOOTED BOWL BLUE 19cms £10.99 |
|
|
Lovely Vintage Pressed Glass Footed Bowl £8.00 |
|
|
ROYAL DOULTON GEORGIAN FOOTED DESSERT BOWL, LEAD CRYSTAL CUT GLASS, NEW. £10.00 |
|
|
ROYAL DOULTON GEORGIAN FOOTED DESSERT BOWL, LEAD CRYSTAL CUT GLASS, NEW. £10.00 |
|
|
Cut Glass Crystal Bowl Tri Footed Stunning £0.99 |
|
|
Tri pod footed crystal cut glass bowl dish £8.95 |
|
|
Art Deco silver tripod footed crystal glass comport / serving dish £14.75 |
|
|
Quality Wedgwood Glass Footed Pedestal Bowl / Dish. £12.99 |
|
|
Quality Cut Glass Footed Pedestal Bowl / Dish £10.99 |
|
|
LARGE STUART CRYSTAL WOODCHESTER PATTERN FOOTED BOWL £9.99 |
|
|
An antique small crystal glass footed bowl (folded foot & rim), 5 inches high. £3.99 |
|
|
1921 STUART CRYSTAL -2 LAUREL BORDER FOOTED BOWLS – Signed £14.95 |
|
|
WEBB CORBETT / DOULTON GEORGIAN PATTERN FOOTED DESSERT BOWLS £11.50 |
|
|
CRISTAL D’ARQUES LONGCHAMP FOOTED CANDY DISH – BNIB £14.95 |
|
|
Cristal D’arques Longchamp 11 cm Diamax Footed Individual bowl, Set of 4 £26.99 |
|
|
Walther-Glas Saturn Clear Footed Bowl SKU 20694 £40.00 £40.00 |
|
|
VINTAGE MACHINE ENGRAVED & ETCHED AIRTWIST SMALL FOOTED COMPORT BON BON DISH £6.08 |
|
|
LEAD CRYSTAL TRI FOOT BOWL ENGRAVED FLOWER/LEAVES £18.71 |
|
|
Heavy Cut Lead Crystal Footed 20 cm Fruit Bowl £4.99 |
|
|
Six – WEBB CORBETT CUT CRYSTAL FOOTED SUNDAE DISHES £40.00 |
|
|
TYRONE CRYSTAL 7″ OPUS FOOTED BOWL IN ORIGINAL BOX (PRICE REDUCED)!!!!!! £79.50 |
|
|
SUPERB HEAVY FOOTED ANTIQUE CUT CRYSTAL GLASS BOWL £12.00 |
|
|
Pink Glass Lidded Pair of Four Footed Bowls 4.5cms High £5.00 |
|
|
LATE VICTORIAN GLASS – 9″ TRI FOOTED CROSS CUT BOWL £27.60 |
|
|
Stunning Crystal Small Footed Bowl £6.00 |
|
|
Art Deco Heavy Pressed Glass Footed Fruit Bowl 7″ diameter UK £2.99 |
|
|
STUART CRYSTAL GLASS 8” AMBER COLOURED FOOTED BOWL £10.00 |
|
|
Tyrone Crystal Footed Bowl Pristine Flawless £40.99 |
|
|
LARGE SIZE CUT CRYSTAL FOOTED BOWL £24.96 |
|
|
LARGE CUT CRYSTAL FOOTED BOWL £24.96 |
|
|
DECO SET OF LOVELY CUT BLUE GLASS FOOTED DISHES £0.99 |
|
|
English Crystal Glass ~ Decorative Footed Fruit Bowl £29.99 |
|
|
STUART TAMARA PATTERN FOOTED DESSERT DISHES £9.95 |
|
|
2 UNUSUAL, STYLISH FOOTED DESSERT BOWLS WITH HANDLES £10.00 |
|
|
BEAUTIFUL ELEGANT CRYSTAL CUT GLASS FOOTED BOWL £19.99 |
|
|
GLASS CRYSTAL THREE FOOTED BON BON BOWL £6.99 |
|
|
A WEBB CRYSTAL WELLINGTON PATTERN LARGE FOOTED BOWL £89.50 |
|
|
HEAVY BOHEMIAN GLASS CRYSTAL FOOTED OPEN BOWL + LABEL £16.99 |
|
|
EDINBURGH CRYSTAL IONA SMALL COMPORT / FOOT SERVING DISH / TABLE CENTER SIGNED £39.99 |
|
|
georgian wine glass with folded foot and ball knop, petal cut bowl c1800. £25.00 |
|
|
Waterford Crystal Wedding Heirloom Bowl 8″ with Footed Base, Box, Tags, Booklt £18.97 |
|
|
VINTAGE HAND CUT & ETCHED GERMAN LEAD CRYSTAL FOOTED BOWL £3.16 |
|
|
STUART CRYSTAL – MANHATTAN / SHAFTSBURY – BON BON FOOTED DISH / BOWL – SUPERB £49.99 |
|
|
RETRO FOOTED GLASS BON – BON BOWL RIBBED SIDES £16.99 |
|
|
Quadro Footed Glass Bowl £45.00 |
|
|
Quadro Footed Glass Bowl £25.00 |
|
|
PAIR OF ANTIQUE LARGE CUT CRYSTAL BONBON DISHES / FOOTED BOWLS IRISH C1890 £345.00 |
|
|
Lovely Pair Crystal glass comports or Bon Bon Footed Dishes £35.00 |
|
|
CRYSTAL FOOTED BOWL 1930s DIAMOND PATTERN CRYSTAL SWEET £7.80 |
|
|
Walther-Glas Nadine Satin Footed Bowl 20679 £22.50 |
|
|
WATERFORD OF IRELAND ARCHIVE LEAD CRYSTAL CUT GLASS FOOTED CENTREPIECE BOWL 12″ £695.00 |
|
|
FAB PAIR OF QUALITY CRYSTAL FOOTED DESSERT BOWLS A1 £9.99 |
|
|
1920s H G RICHARDSON CRYSTAL 8 RARE UPTURNED FOOTED DESSERT BOWLS £85.00 |
|
|
1930s CRYSTAL 6 UPTURNED FOOT GENEROUS DESSERT BOWLS £38.00 |
|
|
ANNA HUTTE “GALAXI” THREE FOOTED LEAD CRYSTAL BOWL PRESSED W.GERMANY £16.99 |
|
|
BOHEMIA GREEN CRYSTAL TRI FOOT 5 BOWLS GOLD GRAPEVINE £31.20 |
|
|
Waterford Crystal Jasper Conran Aura Footed Bowl 10 £100.00 … |
|
|
Cristal D’arques Longchamp 11 cm Diamax Footed Individual bowl, Set of 4 £19.96 … |
|
|
25cm Crystal Footed Bowl – Buckingham £39.95 A stunning traditional Buckingham cut crystal footed bowl made from 24% lead crystal. This crystal bowl is mouthblown and handcut by craftsmen to form a stunning table centrepiece of 25cm diameter. The bowl is supplied in a white gift box with ’24% Handcut Lead Crystal’ graphics…. |