Wines and glasses – so many varieties and styles – how do you decide what works best?

Here are a few tips to help you find a good match to bring out the flavours and aromas in your wine.

Red wine

Red wines run the gamut in terms of flavour profiles., For those with big, bold flavours, try to give those gorgeous tasting notes room to breathe and bloom with glasses featuring full, round bowls, and a wider opening at the top. The roomier, the better. Like any good relationship, it’s important your favourite reds get the space to breathe in order to truly appreciate the unique flavours they are bringing to the table. Next time you’ve got friends over for wine, pop the cork ahead of time to allow for proper evaporation and oxidation. Don’t get dizzy: that’s just fancy “wine speak” for letting the flavours open up, making it even more drinkable. 

A good rule of thumb to follow – give younger reds (less than 8 years old) between 1-2 hours unopened before that first pour. More mature reds only need about 30 minutes, so plan your next wine night in accordingly!

White wine

White wines play around with tart fruits, fresh florals, bright herbs, and variations in oakiness, buttery complexities, bone dry vs. rich and full…the list goes on. Unlike their red counterparts, despite having a wealth of flavour profiles, white wines don’t require as much surface space when it comes to finding the perfect drinking vessel.

Look for glasses with a true U-shaped bowl. The smaller shape of a white wine glass has more perks than you might realise, including keeping white wines naturally cooler, highlighting bright acidity, and letting floral notes take centre stage.

Also, be mindful of the size of the opening when you pick out your next white wine glass. Prefer light-bodied whites? Lean towards a smaller opening at the top. Full-bodied varieties showcase their creaminess in glasses with a slightly larger bowl and opening.

Rosé wine

It’s no secret that the demand and consumption for rosé has skyrocketed in recent years. It’s everywhere, and we’re not complaining. Our favourite pink drink deserves just as much attention when it comes to serving it up in the right stemware. If you’re looking to keep your stemware collection minimal, no one will bat an eye if you pour your fave rosé in a white wine glass. Seriously!

Want to impress your friends with rosé serving expertise? Seek out a glass featuring a slightly tapered bowl and a more flared opening. Swirl around to your heart’s content and sip away! Every season is rosé season, so what are you waiting for?

Sparkling wine

Party in a glass, anyone? A glass of fizzy, bubbly Crémant de Bordeaux has us on the dance floor in no time, even if the dance floor is in your living room, and your outfit is less “night out” and more like a stretched jumper. Flutes are the name of the game the next time you’re ready to brandish some bubbles! This type of tall, narrow stemware locks in all of the effervescence we know and love. Because who would ever want to drink flat Crémant?!