Tips for Serving Wine and Glassware

When it comes to wine enjoyment and entertaining, the wine glasses you use matter. The right wine glass can make even uncomplicated wines taste divine, and fine wine truly shows its best in a suitable wine glass.

It’s no secret that artisan stemware is highly valued and worthy of the most sophisticated wines. Grassl Glass is the best wine glass for fine wine, along with Zalto Denk’Art, Gabriel Glas, and a few other prestige brands, so let’s talk about what different glasses bring to the table when it comes to tasting wine. Here are our tips for serving wine and glassware. 

Does Stemware Enhance Your Wine Experience?

Serving wine in different wine glasses and tasting them side by side is the easiest way to see that the stemware does change the tasting experience. When wine glasses are too small, it’s hard to appreciate the wine’s aromatic personality. If they don’t allow the taster to swirl the wine because of their small bowl, then there’s no way the wine can stretch its arms, so to speak, and show its best. 

Wine glasses that are too thick, like those made with glass and not crystal, are also uncomfortable — only a thin rim allows for the right, delicate sip of wine. 

And finally, although not particularly important, the wine glasses’ clarity allows you to see the wine and inspect it visually, which can offer clues about its flavor and texture. 

Picking out proper glassware is a must for any wine lover looking to take their tasting experience to the next level. Yes, artisan, mouth-blown pieces are more expensive than standard factory-made glasses, but they’re worth their price. 

Riedel, Zalto, and Grassl are amongst the finest stemware companies worldwide, and although they have their differences, all three are a safe bet and an upgrade from any other type of stemware. 

Of course, even these brands have several types of glassware designed to enjoy distinct wine styles. Generally, larger wine glasses are best suited for robust red or white wines, while smaller glasses are ideal for tasting white and rosé. 

The Temperature Matters 

Tasting wine in the proper stemware is already an easy way of making wine more expressive but serving it at the right temperature is equally important. 

Crisp white wines, those fermented in stainless-steel tanks and bottled unaged, are best enjoyed around fridge temperature or 4°C (39°F) or a bit warmer. Oak-aged white wines, such as most age-worthy Chardonnay, are best enjoyed closer to 10°C (50°F).

You should serve red wines at a temperature between 10-16°C (50-61°F). Serve delicate wines like Pinot Noir and young fruity wines colder and more robust wines warmer. 

Is There a Standard Wine Serving? 

There is, although every wine lover has their preference. If you order a glass of wine at a restaurant, expect four or five ounces of wine. That’s the standard pour.

Of course, if you purchase a bottle or enjoy wine at home, serve smaller pours and refill your wine glass as needed. 2-3 ounces at a time ensure the wine doesn’t get too warm. Over-pouring will prevent you from swirling the wine, and it will cause it to warm up too fast! 

As with everything wine-related, there are no inflexible rules. Still, we can all agree the best wine glasses make wine tasting more exciting!