Schott Zwiesel Finesse

The four glasses increase in capacity, and that capacity tells you what each glass is intended for. The 39 cl Chardonnay glass is wider than an ordinary white wine glass, just enough to let an oaked white wine reveal its buttery aroma. The 44 cl red wine glass is the everyday size for a Merlot or a Chianti. Above that, the series branches into the 63 cl Bordeaux glass, which is tall and narrow and helps soften tannins, and the 66 cl Burgundy glass, which is wide and rounded and made for Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. The 30 cl champagne glass is roomier than a classic flute. If desired, compare with all red wine glasses and white wine glasses.

Fill a bowl to the widest point of the belly and no higher. In the 66 cl burgundy that is roughly a third, in the 44 cl red wine glass a little over half. Then swirl gently: the space above the wine is the real instrument of these glasses. Top up white wine in smaller pours, so the glass in your hand does not warm up. Hold every glass in this range by the stem and not around the bowl, however tempting that is with a large burgundy glass.

Finesse is made from Tritan crystal glass. Titanium and zirconium in the melt make the glass harder at the rim and better able to cope with the temperature swings of a dishwasher, which with a rim this thin is the difference between years of pleasure and a chipped edge after a month. Wash at a maximum of sixty degrees, place the glasses separately in the basket and let them drain upright. Limescale streaks come off with a linen cloth while the glass is still hand-warm.

If you are looking for the same design language in a different price range or size, check out the full range of Schott Zwiesel glasses. If you want to let a young red wine breathe first, decanters and wine aeratorscan help. For a sparkling aperitif, recipes for a Kir Royal and a French 75 are ready, and the roomier champagne glass from this series is a better fit than a narrow flute.