It seems the simplest of acts: open a bottle of wine and
pour it into a glass. But as for anyone who has ever been on the receiving end
of being served a fine wine in a plastic cup or chunky tumbler, choosing the
right glassware does make a difference.
As a member of the Paso Robles Wine Club, your regular wine shipments will include a mix of both white and red
wines—unless you specify otherwise. To really savor and enjoy the wines, you should invest in the appropriate glassware.
Here are a few general principles to keep in mind when selecting glassware:
Size Matters: You don’t need to buy a specific glass for
every varietal, but you should have 2 sizes available: a larger, balloon shaped
glass for red wines and a smaller glass for white wines. As for volume, a wine glass should hold
between 10 and 18 ounces—this size works well for both tastings and for serving
wine along with a meal.
Go for Transparency: Painted and
etched glassware is beautiful and can be so well rendered that it could pass
for artwork, but when it comes to wine, you want glasses that are clear. We
‘taste’ wine with all of our senses and the sense of sight is one of the most
important—a clear vessel gives you the opportunity to analyze a wine by its
color and viscosity.
Going Stemless: Wine was traditionally
served in stemmed glassware so that the warmth of one’s hands wouldn’t
interfere with the appropriate serving temperature, but stemless wine glasses
have grown in popularity, so it’s really a personal decision.
Choosing the appropriate glassware
in which to serve wine is just as important as choosing the right wine to pour.
To increase the pleasurable sensory aspects of enjoying a good wine, take the
time to choose the right glasses so that you can delight in both the aromatic
and visual aspects of wine.
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