Bormioli Rocco Galileo

The size does not tell you how much you pour, but how much air is left above the wine. In the 60 cl glass you pour roughly 15 cl, leaving enough room to swirl without spilling. That makes it suitable for full-bodied red wine with plenty of tannin; for light white wine the bowl is on the generous side. The 26 cl flute is narrow and tall, so the bubbles rise in a straight line and the mousse holds longer. See the wider choice at wine glasses or the whole line from Bormioli Rocco.

Hold a wine glass by the stem rather than the bowl, otherwise your hand warms the wine. Serve red wine at around 16 degrees and let it stand for half an hour in the glass or in a decanter before tasting. Fill the flute to about three quarters and hold it at an angle while pouring. For a Kir Royal, put the crème de cassis in the glass first and pour the sparkling wine gently over it; for a French 75, the gin and lemon go into the shaker first.

Galileo is made of lead-free crystalline glass, which allows the wall to stay thin while remaining sturdy enough for everyday use. The glasses may go in the dishwasher, provided the stems do not knock against each other. Dry them afterwards with a linen cloth along the bowl while holding the foot, because most breakage comes from twisting the bowl.

If you drink red more often than white, the overview of red wine glasses offers more choice in bowl shapes and capacities. If you would rather have a wide glass to toast with, look at the champagne coupes, which are shallower and suit shaken cocktails better than sparkling wine. And if you are only after flutes, in sets of six or more, you will find them together among the champagne flutes.