Which wine glass to choose?

These days, the market is flooded with more types of wine glasses than one can count, and they all proclaim to be the best at one thing or another. So which one is the right one? It depends.

Some wine lovers will drink wine out of anything functional and enjoy it regardless of the vessel in which it resides. Then there are the wine aficionados who sincerely believe that the type of receptacle makes a large difference.

Red wines, such as our 2009 Hyde Vineyard Syrah or 2010 Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir, need an opening large enough to allow for oxidation, unlike whites, which don’t require the time for aeration. White wines, such as our subtle and reserved 2010 Chardonnay, are typically drunk at cooler temperature, and the smaller opening helps maintain that.

While tumblers may be popular to some, a wine glass really needs a stem to allow the light to reflect the wine’s colors and keep from warming the wine. It also keeps the bowl free of fingerprints. Thin rims with laser cut glass are the best to use for getting the most from the taste of the wine. When using a glass such as this, the wine hits midpalate where most taste buds are. Other glasses send the wine to the back of the palate, missing most of the taste buds.

Overwhelmed yet? The process of choosing a glass can be as daunting as choosing the wine itself. When it comes down to it, though, there is no right and wrong method of choosing a glass. It all depends on personal taste, and that is what truly matters. So go ahead and pick whichever one you like best regardless of what the experts claim.

The full article from Cleveland.com by Donald Rosenberg can be read here.