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Source: https://www.usnews.com/360-reviews/home-goods/best-wine-glasses
Best Wine Glasses of 2024
Whether you’re a casual wine drinker or a wine aficionado or fall somewhere in between, a good wine glass can elevate every sip.
But there are almost as many wine glass types as there are varieties of wine, so if you’re searching for the best wine glasses, we narrowed it down for you. To find the best wine glasses, we compared dozens of options while considering design, materials, care, and price. We also tapped some of the top wine experts for their insights and pointers for choosing the best wine glasses.
How We Chose the Best Wine Glasses
To compile our list of the best wine glasses, we consulted various wine experts including David Weitzenhoffer, founder of Community Wine & Spirits; Jonathan Kleeman, executive head sommelier at Tom Sellers Story Group; and Eve Bushman, a wine writer and educator who has a Level Two Immediate Certificate in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). These experts offered insights into the best materials, shapes and sizes, and what to look for when purchasing wine glasses. We also did a thorough analysis of some of the most popular and well-reviewed wine glasses out there.
The Bottom Line
Whether you enjoy the occasional glass of wine or consider yourself a wine connoisseur, it’s best to look for the sweet spot between price and functionality when purchasing wine glasses. The Gabriel-Glas StandArt Machine-Blown Wine Glasses are sophisticated, midpriced, and all-purpose wine glasses that are exquisite enough for special occasions but aren’t too precious for everyday use. If you’re serious about your wine, the Josephinenhütte Josephine No. 3 Red Wine Glass is a high-quality, elegant (and pricey) option worth considering. Overall, we found that you can easily spend a small fortune on wine glasses, but there are plenty of affordable options that will allow you to sip and savor your wine just as well.
Things To Consider When Buying Wine Glasses
Material: The material you choose may depend on your budget. The most common materials are crystal and regular glass. Crystal is the material of choice for many brands because it can be formed thin and is durable. “The best material is crystal,” says Jonathan Kleeman, executive head sommelier at Tom Sellers Story Group, which includes Michelin-Star restaurants. “It’s more elegant to drink out of, and can give you a nicer experience,” he says. Crystal is more refractive (in other words, sparkly), which is desirable when looking at wine.
Traditionally, crystal was made with lead to make it more durable – and some still is – but most brands use lead-free crystal, which is usually made with magnesium and zinc and offers the same strength and brilliance in a lighter glass without the health hazards. Not surprisingly, crystal is the most expensive option. Wine glasses made from glass tend to be thicker, which may not be as enjoyable to sip from as crystal. However, it’s durable and nonporous so it won’t absorb smells or stains. However, it’s more affordable than crystal and is dishwasher-safe.
Thickness: The thickness of the glass doesn’t contribute to making your wine taste better. “The thickness doesn’t change the taste or necessarily the aromatics,” says David Weitzenhoffer, founder of the wine store Community Wine & Spirits based in New York City, New York, and a long-time wine-industry expert. “It does have aesthetic appeal for many people,” he continues. Kleeman agrees: “If you like wine, it’s going to taste good out of any glass. We’re talking more about preference. [A thinner glass] does make a difference in terms of a more elegant drinking experience.”
Capacity: Red and white wine glasses vary in size and shape, but there are some standard sizes. Red wine glasses generally hold between 12 to 16 fluid ounces, and white wine glasses tend to hold 12 fluid ounces. It’s worth noting, however, that a standard serving of wine is 5 fluid ounces. Wine writer and educator Eve Bushman says that wine should never be poured beyond the widest point of the bowl – “This way, the wine drinker has room to swirl and capture aromas.”
Shape: Wine glasses come in all shapes and styles. Whether your wine is red, white, or sparkling,the aromas play an important role in its character. When it comes to red wines, look for a glass with a large bowl, as this allows the wine to be exposed to more oxygen, helping the wine open up and “breathe.” White wine glasses have a smaller bowl and opening, which is designed to preserve the aroma rather than let it breathe.
Stem: The stem on a wine glass doesn’t just look pretty and elegant. It has a couple of functions. First, holding a wine glass by its stem instead of by the bowl of the glass prevents body heat from your hands from affecting the temperature of the wine. The stem also allows you to swirl your wine, which releases the unique aromas of each wine.
Stemless wine glasses have the same bowl shape as stemmed glassware, but, without the stem, they have a lower center of gravity, which makes them harder to knock over and spill. Stemless glasses are much easier to store because they can more easily fit in cabinets. They also fit into the dishwasher more easily and give off a more casual, modern vibe.
Care: Whether you sip from fancy stemware or enjoy your wine in more affordable glassware, it’s important to care for your wine glasses. Stains from previous pours or residue from soap or detergent can alter the taste and appearance of your wine. Gently cleaning, polishing, and drying them after each use will keep your glasses in peak condition. Proper storage is also important. Bushman recommends storing fine, thin-rimmed wine glasses with their bowls up, which significantly reduces the chance of chipping when putting them away. It’s also recommended to keep the glasses about a 1/2 inch apart, again to reduce the likelihood of chipping the glass.
Most of our experts agree this is a personal choice and one that may be dictated by your budget and your level of enjoyment. “If you’re drinking normal wine for everyday use, and you just like to drink what you drink, then maybe buying expensive glasses isn’t for you,” says Kleeman of Tom Sellers Story Group. The bottom line? “If your goal is to have a good time with friends, a coffee cup can do the trick. I’ve had a mug of wine or two in my day,” says Weitzenhoffer of Community Wine & Spirits. Above all, choose a glass that feels good in your hand and that you enjoy drinking from.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRUST US?
Our contributors and editors have years of experience researching, testing, and reviewing products. The author of this piece, Maureen Farrar, is a commerce writer and product reviewer specializing in home goods, health, and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in The Spruce, Yoga Journal, and Outside, among others.
