Crystal Wine Glasses

Red wine glasses have a much larger bowl and tend to be wider than white wine glasses. This is because of the serving size (4/5 ounces) and the strong aromas and flavors associated with red wines; more space for the wine to breathe results in a wider bouquet and a more pleasurable experience. The opening of the glass is wider as well, allowing the drinker to get a good whiff of the bouquet.

Glasses for red wine are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, which increases the rate of oxidization. As oxygen from the air chemically interacts with the wine, flavor and aroma are subtly altered. This process of oxidization is generally more compatible with red wines, whose complex flavors are smoothed out after being exposed to air.

Three of the more popular red wines glasses will be examined here.

Bordeaux glass: tall with a broad bowl, and is designed for full bodied red wines like Cabernet and Merlot as it directs wine to the back of the mouth.

Burgundy glass: broader than the Bordeaux glass, it has a bigger bowl to accumulate aromas of more delicate red wines such as Pinot Noir. This style of glass directs wine to the tip of the tongue.