Schott Zwiesel Muse Diva

Choose by grape, not by occasion. The 83.9 cl burgundy glass has the widest belly and is meant for pinot noir, nebbiolo and other grapes where the aroma is half the story. The 76.8 cl bordeaux glass is taller and narrower, which helps cabernet sauvignon and syrah: the shape leads the wine to the middle of the tongue, where tannin feels less sharp. The 61.3 cl red wine glass is the everyday size and also suits full-bodied white wine. The 21.9 cl champagne glass is compact by design, so the bubbles do not disappear too quickly. For more sizes, have a look at the red wine glasses and the champagne glasses.

Large glasses tempt you to overfill them, and that is exactly what you should avoid. Fill a 83.9 cl glass to about a quarter, which comes down to a normal serving of wine; the other three quarters are the air you need in order to swirl. Swirl briefly, smell straight away and then let the glass rest for a moment. Use the 100 cl decanter for young, closed red wine: pour it over in one movement and give the wine twenty to thirty minutes before you serve.

Tritan crystal glass is the heart of this series: with titanium and zirconium in the melt, the rim and the stem are harder than in ordinary crystal, which is no luxury on a bowl of almost a litre. The glasses may go in the dishwasher at up to sixty degrees. Place them upright and apart, because a large bowl soon meets its neighbour in a full basket. The decanter is better rinsed by hand: use lukewarm water without soap and let it drain upside down on a decanter dryer or a clean cloth.

If you are still looking for a carafe, have a look at the decanters or at the wider range of carafes. If you are in a hurry, one of the wine aerators does in a few seconds what a carafe does in half an hour. The rest of the brand is with the Schott Zwiesel glasses, and with the champagne glass you can make a Kir Royal or a classic champagne cocktail.