Luigi Bormioli Grandioso

The 65 cl carries the name Cabernet Merlot: a rounded bowl with plenty of surface, meant for full-bodied red wine that needs air to open up. The 55 cl is called Pinot Nero Nebbiolo and is wider than it is tall, so the finer aromas of those grapes gather without the alcohol taking over. The 45 cl for chardonnay is narrower and suits white wine with oak ageing. The 37 cl for sauvignon and riesling is the smallest: less surface, so the wine stays cold longer and the fresh acidity stays sharp. If you would rather work with a single size, the large wine glasses and the white wine glasses offer alternatives.

A 65 cl bowl calls for a restrained pour. Fill to the widest point and no higher, and you have roughly a standard glass in it with room left to swirl. With the 37 cl you pour a little more generously, because small measures in a small glass warm up too quickly. Hold every glass by the stem. The 21 cl flute is there for bubbles: pour in two goes down the side and serve straight away. For the aperitif, the kir royal and the bellini are the standing classics.

SON.hyx is lead-free crystal glass that Luigi Bormioli heat-treats, giving rim and stem more resilience than ordinary crystal glass. The series is dishwasher safe. Place the bowls apart in a basket with a stem holder and let them dry upright. A dull haze is almost always limescale rather than wear: rinsing with warm water and drying immediately with a lint-free cloth solves it.

If you are staying with the same house, the complete range is at Luigi Bormioli. For bubbles outside this series there is the champagne flute glasses category. A young red wine that is still closed benefits from a decanter, and the bottle you have left keeps its flavour with a wine stopper. If four different bowls feel like too much for your cupboard, one generous universal size often works just as well in practice and saves considerable storage space.