Did you know that there are 17 different types of wine glass?
So, it’s no coincidence that most people say that they’re not confident that they can tell which wine glass is which.
That’s where our guide to the types of wine glasses comes in. It makes it easy to tell them apart.
The 17 Types Of Wine Glasses
We’ve broken our 17 wine glasses into three easy to manage sections, glasses for red wine, glasses for white wine and then a bunch of glasses for other types of wine.
If you’re not sure which wine you have, you might try these wine lover’s blogs to research it, then you can choose the right glass from our list below.
Red Wine Glasses
- Cabernet – the tallest red wine glass is meant to focus the smell of the wine so that you can enjoy the aroma. Try not to overfill these glasses to get the best from them.
- Burgundy – these glasses have a wide bowl to allow the delicate scent of burgundy to be fully accommodated and they ensure you get the first taste on the tip of your tongue.
- Bordeaux – the next tallest red wine glass is for Bordeaux and the shape allows the full bodied wines to circulate fully around the mouth and prevent the wine from tasting bitter.
- Zinfandel – this is shorter than a Bordeaux glass and has a wider rim, the rim is meant to ensure there’s nothing to impede this light bodied wine as it flows into your mouth.
- Pinot Noir – these glasses have the widest bowl of any of our standard wine glasses and you should swirl the wine before you drink as the bowl allows the full scent and flavor of the wine to blossom.
- Rose – as Rose wines are normally served cold, these glasses have a long stem to stop you warming the bowl with your hand. A flared lip is for younger wines and a short taper for more mature ones.
White Wine Glasses
- Chardonnay – the U shaped bowl is distinct in a Chardonnay glass and it’s designed to facilitate the sweetness of the wine on your palate. As these whites are served cold, they’re not typically served for their aroma.
- Viognier – the small bowl on this glass prevents the wine from getting into too much contact with the air and thus, protects the delicate aroma of the wine.
- Sparkling – the narrow bowl is meant to help the wine stay carbonated and facilitate the play of bubbles on your tongue as you drink. The wide base is to stop the glass being easily knocked over.
- Sweet – the smallest of the white wine glasses is designed to allow the wine to go straight to the back of the mouth so that it doesn’t overwhelm the palate with sweetness. You should swirl wine in these glasses to bring out the acid content before drinking.
- Vintage – the Cork Dork won’t have much truck with these wine glasses because they’re not the best for drinking anything out of! They’re a hallmark of a bygone era and mainly bought for nostalgia, not a love of wine.
Other Wine Glasses
- Port – similar to Bordeaux glass but a little smaller, you should never fill this more than halfway if you want the best of Port’s aroma.
- Sherry – a longer stem and a more square bowl than port glasses distinguish sherry glasses, this directs the subtle aroma of sherry to the drinker’s nose before they take a sip.
- Balloon – a very large and versatile glass that can easily be used for cool whites or reds that need some space to breathe.
- Flute – a tall, skinny glass that’s great for the most delicate of sparkling wines and helps them stay carbonated for longer.
- Stemless – when you’re drinking in places where glasses can be easily spilled, stemless glasses are a decent alternative glass but your body heat can interfere with the temperature of the wine.
- Aerating – these are a bit of a gimmick but pour wine into one of these and it’s sure to be well aerated and they’re nice to look at too.
Final Thoughts On Types of Wine Glasses
There may be 17 different types of wine glass but they each have a very specific use and once you can tell the differences, you can better enjoy the wine that you drink.
We’d recommend starting with a single glass type and the right wine to go with it and then adding another glass type, each time you try a new wine.
You should also invest in a Coravin Wine Opener if you want to really enjoy your wine, why not check them out now?
