Wine Glasses to Buy in 2020 (By Wine Type)

In general, red wine glasses have rounder bowls, and white wine glasses have more U-shaped and upright bowls. Sparkling wine (Asti Spumante, for example) is usually had in tall flutes, and dessert wines in smaller glasses.

1. Red Wine Glass

Red wine glass has a round, wide bowl, like balloon glasses. The shape increases the exposed surface area of the wine, allowing more oxygen to interact with the liquid. Brief exposure to oxygen helps smoothen the complex flavors and tannins in red wine.  

There are three types of red wine glasses:

A. Bordeaux glass

This tall glass is meant for bold, full bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, or Bordeaux Blends.

The glass is tall, but the bowl isn’t quite as large. The bowl’s height creates more space between the wine and nose, allowing room for ethanol vapors to escape, letting you get more of the wine’s aroma and less alcohol vapors.

Some Bordeaux wine glasses to consider:

• Zalto Denk'Art Bordeaux Glass
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Pure Bordeaux Glass

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B. Standard (Medium-bodied) wine glass

This is an excellent choice for medium- to full-bodied red wine, like Syrah or Malbec. The smaller opening will soften the spicy expression of some of these wines as it hits your tongue, but it keeps the aroma in the glass.

Add these standard red wine glasses to your barware:

• Riedel Vinum Syrah / Shiraz Glass
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Pure Cabernet Glass

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C. Burgundy (Bourgogne) glass

The Burgundy glass is designed for light, delicate red wine like Montrachet. The broad bowl creates space for aromas to collect, and a shorter lip directs the wine to the tip of the tongue so that you can taste more of its subtle flavors. The Pinot Noir glass is an example of the Burgundy glass.