You open your cupboard and uneven sets of mismatched glasses you’ve accumulated over the years stare back at you. Glassware is more than functional and contributes a great deal in highlighting important aspects of a drink. The correct glassware can go a long way in improving your drinking experience. Here’s why you should use the correct glass and proudly swirl your drink.
The wine glass
Wine glasses vary in size and depend on the wine you’re sipping on. Aroma is one of the most important aspects of wine, especially in red wine. You should be able to aerate red wine by swirling it in the glass. A red wine glass is usually big enough for you to be able to smell the wine closely. Stemware glasses prohibit you from placing your hand over the glass and increasing the temperature of the wine. However, the stemless red wine glass is quickly making its way into many modern kitchens. Because of its intense sweetness, dessert wine is served in small stemware with a narrow rim. Although there are various wine glasses, these basic rules apply: red wine glasses have a wider opening while white wine glasses have a smaller mouth.
The Martini glass
Martinis were originally served in cocktail glasses, but when vodka was introduced to Martinis the serving quantities increased. A Martini glass is shaped like a wide cone to give you more surface area to smell the aromatics. The Martini glass is used to serve cocktails without ice, or “up” as the method is called.
The champagne glass
A champagne flute’s shape helps to keep the bubbles going for as long as possible and, since it is not as important to smell champagne, the surface area is kept small. The champagne flute is also a favourite for champagne-based cocktails. The coupe was the original champagne glass but has since become a cocktail glass for daiquiris and Manhattans. The coupe is, however, making a comeback as far as trends go this year.
Words: Rita-Mari Ludike | Images: iStock
