The five glasses all wine lovers should have in their collection

By MiNDFOOD

You'll enjoy a Burgundy or a Central Otago Pinot Noir far more in an aroma collector. ISTOCK
You'll enjoy a Burgundy or a Central Otago Pinot Noir far more in an aroma collector. ISTOCK
From Burgundy to Bordeaux, from flutes to aroma collectors, wine glasses vary in shape, size and dimension for very good reason. Make sure you've got the right glass to match your wine.

Flute glass

Designed for Champagne, Methode Traditionelle and sparkling wines such as Prosecco, the flute is synonymous with a pre-dinner glass of bubbles.

Flute glasses are sleek and slender, just like the bubbles you put in them. ISTOCK
Flute glasses are sleek and slender, just like the drops you pour into them. ISTOCK

Their long and tall shape provides the most room for bubbles to fizz upwards and express their aromas.

But due to their awkward dimension and centre of balance, flute glasses account for many a wine-glass casualty.

If you’re worried about breakages, a white wine glass will suffice for most sparkling wines.

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White wine glass

Perhaps the most common wine glass type around, the white wine glass is perfect for stainless-steel fermented wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Albarino.

A good white wine all-rounder, only Chardonnay doesn't really belong in a glass like this. ISTOCK
A good white wine all-rounder, only Chardonnay doesn’t really belong in a glass like this. ISTOCK

Also good at keeping the wine chilled, this type of glass is ideal for whites characterised by floral aromas and delicate fruit.

But almost all white wines will happily express themselves in here, the main exception perhaps being Chardonnay.

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Aroma collector

Also known as the ‘Burgundy glass’, this does as its name suggests – communicating aromas to the olfactory senses as the winemaker would have envisaged.

You'll enjoy a Burgundy or a Central Otago Pinot Noir far more in an aroma collector. ISTOCK
You’ll enjoy a Burgundy or a Central Otago Pinot Noir far more in an aroma collector. ISTOCK

Notice the angle of the glass closes in ever-so-slightly towards the top, allowing aromas to collect at the head of the glass in a similar fashion to whiskey drams.

Aroma collectors are suited to lighter-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, but Rose and Chardonnay will also express themselves fully in these glasses.

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Oversize glass

The oversize glass, also referred to as the “Bordeaux glass”, is big and bold – and demands wines that match.

Takes one to know one: Like the wines they're designed for, Bordeaux glasses are larger than life. ISTOCK
Takes one to know one: Like the wines they’re designed for, Bordeaux glasses are larger than life. ISTOCK

Reds that require generous amounts of aeration will benefit from the extra “swirling” surface area offered by an oversize glass.

Importantly, that extra space also allows those upstanding tannins you tend to find in big, opulent reds to soften before it reaches the mouth.

That’s why the likes of bold and tannin-laden Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (or Shiraz), Pinotage and Sagrantino command the extra breathing room.

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Dessert glass

Most of the world’s dessert wines are harvested with small quantities in mind, mainly owing to their high alcohol content but also their rich flavour and texture.

Not everyone has dessert wine glasses in their collection but they are a worthwhile addition to your glassware. ISTOCK
Not everyone has dessert wine glasses in their collection but they are a worthwhile addition to your glassware stock. ISTOCK

That’s why you’ll find dessert wine glasses to be far smaller in size to regular wine vessels, which certainly helps to keep our portion control in check!

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