Pliny
(23–79 A.D.) wrote about gold and silver drinking vessels
being abandoned in favor of glass, and they were frequently priced
as high as the precious metal versions. Bonifacio Veronese’s
sixteenth-century ‘Last Supper’ includes modern style
wine glasses with a stem and foot.
The oldest surviving
European wine glasses with a stem and foot are fifteenth-century
enameled goblets (a goblet is a glass holding more than four ounces
of liquid).
Near the end of the
sixteenth-century in Germany sophisticated engraved decoration was
applied to covered wine glasses.
The earliest surviving
English wine glasses are diamond-engraved glasses that were produced
near the end of the sixteenth-century by Verzelini. Plain straight
stems gained popularity around 1740, with air twist stems being
introduced about the same time. Ten years later a twist incised
on the exterior of the stem became popular.
Quality crystal wine
glasses were being produced in France near the end of the eighteenth-century.
Cordial glasses in the
eighteenth-century had bowls of the same shapes that were typical
for wine glasses, but they were much smaller, holding about one
ounce.
Toast masters glasses
were made with a thicker bottom and walls so that they would hold
less. A toast master had to drain every glass and still be able
to remain standing till all toasts
were completed.
Wine glasses during
the nineteenth-century were often produced in sets — with
a dozen each of port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne
glasses and liqueur glasses.
More recently, in the
1950s, Riedel Crystal
and other stemware manufacturers have refined wine glass design
to the point of having a unique size and shape for almost every
wine variation.
Wine glasses are made
for drinking wine, of course, but people are creative and have found
other uses ranging from combining several wine glasses to construct
a glass harp to using stemware
in a similar manner to provide sound education.
Some of the research
for this article on the history of wine glasses came from the following
books which arerecommend reading if you'd like to learn more:
Picking the right wine glasses
for the right wine isn't easy when confronted with the bevy of wine
glasses on store shelves. And trying to keep those crystal clear
glasses crystal clear can be a maddening experience, too. Master
the art of wine glasses here.
There
really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting
— or for drinking wine for that matter. However, there are
some glasses that are better than others for evaluating wines. First
of all, we like to suggest using glasses that you are comfortable
using. Aesthetics aside, there are really only two things to remember
when considering a wine tasting glass: the size of the glass and
the overall shape of the glass.
The more universally
used tasting glass is called a chimney shape. Broader on the bottom
of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening. The broader
bottom will enable you to hold enough wine and give you plenty of
room to swirl the wine, while the smaller opening at the top will
help to trap and focus the aromas, allowing you enough of a scent
to assess the wine.
Size
Doesn't Matter
For the most part, if
your glass is of this shape, the actual size of the glass is not
important other than it needs to be big enough and have a big enough
opening for you to be able to get your nose inside to really smell
the wine. Some people swear by large "Burgundy" style
glasses that allow as much of the wine to come in contact with the
air as possible, therefore releasing as many of the aromas and flavors
as possible. Others like the convenience and ease of use of a smaller
glass. Other considerations that will enhance your tasting experience
include glassware that is clear (no colors) and free of cuts or
engravings within the glass.
Many glass manufacturers
have designed specific glasses for specific wine types or varietals,
taking in to account different aspects of the individual wine type.
While this is wonderful, it is not a necessary purchase for a complete
wine tasting. The top producer of these specialized wine glasses
is an Austrian crystal company named Riedel (pronounced REE-dle).
They are exquisite and expensive.
Cleaning
Wine Glasses
When it comes
time to clean your glassware, try to avoid using soap. Instead use
hot water and rinse thoroughly. Soap can become trapped within the
glass release soapy odors the next time you use it. Although you
may become quite proficient at identifying various brands of dish
soap, this ability and the soapy glasses that taught you will not
add to the enjoyment of a good glass of wine.
To summarize,
it's important that you find good glassware for your wine tasting
experiences, but "good" does not necessarily mean "expensive."
Find glassware that you are comfortable with and adequately serves
its purpose: presenting wine for your evaluation and enjoyment.
You've
probably heard many conflicting and complicated instructions throughout
the years on the proper way to get wine from the store to your glass.
It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are the basics of serving
wine, which are all you really need.
Many
customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of
them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices
intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
"White wine
with fish and red wine with meat" is more customary than
culinary.
Red wines are served
at room temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes
are served chilled.
The stronger
the food, the stronger the wine. The lighter the food, the lighter
the wine.
Wine loves
air, which revives its sleeping flavors. It is recommended to
open the bottle about an hour before consumption and let the wine
"breathe". This ages it a year or so, and allows its
flavors to mellow.
A bottle
of wine has to be handled carefully, with the minimum movement
possible. Remember, wine likes to sleep, only to awaken in your
mouth.
Red wine
bottles do not need to be cleaned or dusted before opening. They
are opened on a hard surface. White wines, rose, and Champagne
bottles are opened in ice buckets.
Red wines corks
are sniffed to make sure the wine has not spoiled, which gives
the cork an unpleasant smell. It is not necessary to smell white
and rose wine corks since the wine was refrigerated and the cork
will not smell.
On
the subject of temperature — you may have heard that red
wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine
should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations
originated at a time when “room temperature” was lower
than is typical today.
Full-bodied
and tannic red wines are best enjoyed at not more than 64°F
(18°C) and clarets, Pinot Noirs (including burgundies), and
then the modern reds — soft, light, fruity and relatively
tannin-free for drinking young, at progressively cooler temperatures
— down to about 54°F (12°C).
White
wines are ideally served between 43°F (6°C) to 52°F
(11°C). Red wine or white wine, err on the cool side as they
will warm quickly on the table and in the glass.
Should
you decant — move the wine to a serving container?
Wines
deposit sediment as a natural part of aging, some more than others.
Decanting the wine can help to separate the clear wine from the
sediment. Decanting the wine also introduces air into the wine
— letting the wine breathe — releasing the aromas
and enhancing flavors, particularly useful for red wines that
are a little harsh.
Decanting
old wines, just prior to serving, helps to ensure that the wines’
clarity and brilliance are not obscured by any deposit that may
have developed over time (pour slowly and avoid decanting the
last ounce).
Decant
young wines as much as several hours before they are served to
give the wine a chance to breath, simulating a stage of development
that might normally be acquired after years of aging (pour quickly,
even up-ending the bottle – the idea is to expose the wine
to air).
Wine
decanter design varies from the purely function to extravagantly
decorated, but sometimes unusual design and functionality can
go hand-in-hand as in the Orbital Decanter that, when removed
from its base, will sit elegantly on your table while a gentle
orbital movement increases the breathing of your wine with minimal
disturbance.
Some
experts prefer to let wine breath in the wine glass but I personally
find it hard to wait patiently once it's been poured.
With one of the largest
inventories of Drinking Glassware in the nation, Ace Mart is able
to fill customer orders directly from their own warehouses - giving
you faster, more efficient service.
Ace Mart also offers
free shipping on orders over $400!
Other great suggestions
can be found below - HAPPY SHOPPING!!!:
If you
are interested in partnering with us at this site, send an email
to postmaster@vinovixenz.com
with "Vinovixenz Partner" in the
subject line. We are usually able to reply within a single business
day.
There
really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting
Many
customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of
them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices
intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
On
the subject of temperature — you may have heard that red
wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine
should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations
originated at a time when “room temperature” was lower
than is typical today.
