Wine glasses
Maybe it doesn't seem like it at first glance, but the selection of wine glasses hides a whole area of necessary knowledge. Glasses have several functions that, if we are aware of, can stimulate and reveal a new level of wine experience. The primary requirements are the size and the material used for the chalice.
The size criterion is met by those goblets in which the wine can be circled without spilling. When swirling, if the wine has space, its aroma will be released.
Clear and thinnest glass is best for revealing the true color of the wine. Its structure must be clear and smooth. Blown glass is ideal. In the ancient past, various jugs and bowls made of opaque materials such as tin, silver or wood were used. It was almost impossible to determine the color of the wine back then. Cut crystal is not ideal either, on the one hand, light refraction can slightly change the color of the drink, and it usually makes glasses that are too small for wine evaluation. So the smoother, thinner and more transparent the glass, the better.
The following are aesthetic and practical parameters, which include the shape of the cup and its stem. The shape tapers to a cone at the top, while the bottom is wide. In the lower part, the wine spills over, washes the walls of the glass, and the aroma rises up directly to the olfactory cells.
Thanks to the stem, our fingerprints do not remain on the glass and at the same time we do not affect the temperature of the wine with our hand. Holding the stem is not only practical, but also very elegant.
Types of cups
White wine is poured into glasses that are slightly narrower than red wine glasses. They can be tulip-shaped as the edges gently roll outwards. White wine is drunk chilled, which is why the stem is indispensable. We also serve rosé wines in white glasses.
On the other hand, glasses for red wines tend to be one of the most robust. They give the wine enough space to "breathe" and are only filled up to a third of the glass. Red wine needs time to develop its aroma sufficiently. It is served unchilled, so the glass can exceptionally be held even by the goblet.
The narrowest glass belongs to sparkling wines, it is also called a flute, it ensures a longer period of effervescence and the rising bubbles please the eye. Sparkling wines are served chilled.
Finally interesting:
The next time you clink your wine glasses and they become bells for a moment, remember that this custom comes from ancient Rome. For the Romans, it was a way to make sure that no one poisoned the wine. They snorted so hard that the wine spilled from one glass to another, and therefore no one was sure whether the poisoned wine would not get to him as well.