Stölzle Lausitz Starlight

Start with the glass you reach for most often. For white wine 41 cl is the logical size: small enough to keep the wine cold, roomy enough to swirl. The 51 cl is the all-rounder that suits a full-bodied white just as well as a light red. At 67.5 cl you are in Bordeaux territory, with a tall bowl that gives tannin the time to settle. And 82 cl is the Burgundy glass: wide, round and meant for wines where aroma matters more than structure. In none of these glasses should you pour past the widest point, so you keep room for the scent. See also the wine glasses and the red wine glasses.

Hold the glass by the stem rather than the bowl, because a hand at thirty-six degrees warms 15 cl of wine noticeably. Fill it about a third and leave the rest empty: that is not thrift but exactly why a large bowl works. The 29 cl flute is narrow enough to hold on to the bubbles for a long time, which makes it right for champagne on its own and for a kir royal or a mimosa.

These glasses are made of lead-free crystal glass and are dishwasher safe. Choose a short glassware programme and set the bowls clear of one another, because breakage almost always starts with two stems touching in the basket. Polish afterwards with a lint-free cloth and turn the bowl along with it rather than the foot, otherwise you put force on the weakest point.

If you are after something thinner and taller within the same brand, Quatrophil is the step up; all the ranges are gathered under Stölzle Lausitz. If you are buying for white wine only, it is easier to compare at the white wine glasses, where the smaller bowls are sorted by capacity. And for individual models for sparkling wine, look among the champagne flute glasses, coupes and flutes from other ranges included.