The art of drinking wine is perceived by many as a preserve of the few. In fact, many dread upon the thought of drinking it in a company of the well-informed in matters wine, and as a result, end up making poor drink choices.
But that should not be you. Wine is a fun drink that was meant to be enjoyed. And when you are familiar with the basics, like what’s the right kind of glass to use, it gets much better and way much easier.
If you have been having trouble with wine glass choices then this one is for you!
In our first article about glassware below, we talk about the various types of red wine glasses; their shapes, height, and design, and why you should be using them.
1. Cabernet Wine Glasses.
Originating from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, Cabernet wines are some of the most widely recognized red wines around the world. Some examples are the Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon, Douglas Green Cabernet Sauvignon, and the KWV Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Cabernet Wine Glass is one of the tallest of the red wine glasses, so created with the purpose of intensifying the smell of the wine.
Their shape aid in focusing the content in the glass to the nose. The wide bowl allows the wine to breathe properly. The narrow mouth captures the aroma of the wine.
2. Burgundy Glasses.
Burgundy wines are those produced in the Burgundy region in France. Some of the most common Burgundies are dry red wines made from Pinot noir grapes and white wines made from Chardonnay grapes.
The Burgundy glass has a bigger bowl to accommodate the delicate aromas of the wine.
The shape of the glass is designed in a way that the drinker gets to taste the wine from the tip of the tongue, then throughout the mouth. This is to ensure that one fully tastes and smells every detail of the particular wine.
The glasses have long enough stems for easy swirling to incorporate air that opens up more complex aromas and flavours of the wine.
3. Bordeaux Glasses.
A Bordeaux wine is wine produced in Bordeaux, southwest region of France. The Bordeaux vintages produce large quantities, ranging from everyday table wine like the Mouton Cadet Bordeaux to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world.
Bordeaux wine glasses are the tallest of all red wine glasses, though with a smaller bowl compared to most of its peers.
The tallness of the glass makes it easy for the wine to travel back to the mouth upon sipping, instead of remaining up the tip of the tongue.
The Bordeaux glasses are perfect for full-bodied wines such as the Merlot or Cabernet.
4. Zinfandel Glasses.
Zinfandel is a black-skinned wine grape variety grown in the United States. The grapes produce robust red wines.
The Zinfandel glass is slightly shorter than the Bordeaux wine glass and has a slightly longer rim. The longer rim ensures that one experiences the full flavor and complex aromas of the wine.
Though smaller than the Bordeaux or Cabernet wine glasses, the bowl is just large enough to ensure the wine breathes, opening up the complex flavours and aromas.
5. Pinot Noir.
The Pinot Noir is a red wine grape variety or wines created predominantly from the pinot noir grapes.
Pinot Noir glasses have the widest bowls of any of the red or white wine glasses.
The wide shape ensures that the wine has maximum contact with wine, leading to a great improvement of the aroma and flavours. The bowl is large to ensure for easy swirling while observing through the crystal clear glass.
6. Rose Wine.
A rose wine is a type of wine that incorporates some of the colors from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify as a red wine.
The glasses have a long stem to ensure the wine remains at a cool temperature, without being affected by the heat from the hand. The flared lip of the glass directs the wine to the mouth.
Stay tuned for our part two of this series, where we shall be talking on How to Identify the Right Glasses for white wine.
How to Identify the Right Glasses for Red Wine
Cheers!
