Red wine glasses

The two classic shapes do exactly opposite things. The Burgundy glass is bulbous and wide, with a rim that curves slightly inward so volatile aromas linger. This model is intended for pinot noir, nebbiolo, and other grapes where aroma matters more than structure, and ranges from 75 to 96 cl. The Bordeaux glass is taller and straighter, directing the wine deeper into the mouth and thereby softening the tannins of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, or tempranillo. These hold around 55 to 75 cl. Both shapes are available in tempered hospitality glass and thin-blown lead-free crystal glass, and you notice the difference mainly at the rim.

If you want one glass for all red wine, choose a universal glass between 43 and 55 cl: spacious enough for swirling, but small enough not to look empty. If you are looking for the very largest models, they are listed under the large wine glasses. White wine requires different sizes and a different shape, which you can find under white wine glasses.

Pour to the widest point and no higher, roughly one-fifth of the bowl. Above that point, the glass narrows, and you need that space to swirl without spilling. Room temperature is a misconception from an era of colder homes: red wine is best between 16 and 18 degrees, and a light pinot noir can even be served slightly cooler.

Young, robust wine softens with air. Half an hour in a decanter works faster than waiting an hour with the opened bottle. With old wine, you decant for an entirely different purpose: to leave the sediment in the bottle. If a little remains, a sangria with fruit and ice is a great use for the rest of the bottle. Finally, never pour into a glass that has just come out of a hot dishwasher, because that raises the temperature all at once.

The stem almost never breaks while drinking. It goes wrong during drying, when you hold the foot and twist the bowl: all the strain then lands on the join between bowl and stem. Hold the bowl and turn the cloth inside it.

In the dishwasher, place glasses so the stems do not touch, choose a short programme and take them out as soon as it finishes. If steam lingers, it settles as limescale and the glass turns cloudy. That haze disappears with a splash of vinegar in the rinse water and a lint-free cloth. Store them upright, so the thin rim rests on nothing.

Would you first like to see all the models side by side? The complete overview is available under wine glasses. If you're looking for a particular brand or a series you already have at home, each house has its own page in the menu here. If there is wine left over, wine stoppers keep an opened bottle tasting good for a few days. And if you prefer to use your red wine as the basis for something else, the cocktail pages indicate which glass it belongs in for each recipe.