Bormioli Rocco Aurum

The capacity indicates what each glass is intended for. The 35 cl wine glass is the compact bowl for crisp white wine: you pour a small amount, drink it promptly, and the wine has no time to warm up. The 43 cl is the all-rounder that works equally well for white and light red wines. The 52 cl is the spacious bowl for full-bodied red wine, into which you pour no more than a third so the aroma can gather. The 23 cl flute keeps the bubbles together, while the 37 cl tumbler is for water and spirits over ice. For the red wine glasses and white wine glasses the sizes of other series are shown alongside.

Pour white wine to one-third of the bowl and red wine to just below the widest point: this leaves enough surface area for the aromas to open up and enough room to swirl. Pour Champagne into the flute in two stages; otherwise, the foam will spill over the rim. Hold each glass by the stem, because wrapping your hand around the bowl quickly warms the wine. A negroni with one large ice cube works well in the 37 cl tumbler, and a champagne cocktail is a good fit for the flute. negroni and for the aperitif, a champagne cocktail in the flute.

Crystalline glass owes its clarity to barium and zinc oxides rather than lead, which is why it can go straight into the dishwasher. Choose a lower-temperature programme, stand the bowls upright so they do not touch, and use rinse aid against limescale film. The stem is the vulnerable part: when unloading, pick the glass up by the foot and not by the bowl, because that is where the twisting starts that breaks stems.

Looking for a larger bowl that accommodates every red wine? The large wine glasses category offers more choice in shape and capacity. If you want to stick with the same brand, you'll find the full range at Bormioli Rocco. For individual sparkling wine glasses, see the champagne flute glasses, and to keep an opened bottle tasting fresh, there are wine stoppers. If you find this series too refined for everyday use, thicker-walled glassware from the same house is a more practical starting point.