The Shtick on Glassware & other Implements

So many different shaped glasses! So many types of equipment! Does it really matter?

Here's a start:  Imperative? Maybe not. But there is a method to the madness.  Without getting into the technical aspects, in my layperson mind it has to do with how much air to which the wine is exposed.  We'll talk about typical stemmed wine glasses because that seems to be most common.

White wine glasses' globes are typically more tall & narrow than their red-designed siblings. It has been my experience that this design seems to keep the wine cold for longer. No kidding. Seems the deeper, more "stacked" content doesn't equalize the wine/air temperature as quickly.

Red wine glasses' globes are usually quite large, allowing the wine to spread out.  Red wines tend to have a bit more of an alcohol-y nose, which softens through evaporation. The larger the surface area of the wine that is exposed to the air, the more evaporation will occur, letting the flavour of the wine become richer and more flavour focused.

Because the bouquet of the wine has much to do with the tasting experience, you'll notice that the mouth of a wine glass allows your nose to fit within the glass while sipping.

A modern champagne flute's tall, slim design with a narrow opening minimizes the amount of air to which the wine gets exposed.  This in turn, keeps the bubbles bubbling or sparkling for longer; and also gives the drinker a lovely visual, watching the tiny bubbles travel the depth of the glass as they soar from the bottom to the top.  The narrow mouth of a champagne flute does not allow your nose to fit within the rim of the glass, which is a good thing, as the bubbles from champagne/sparkling wine often cause the drinker to sneeze!

Decanters are designed with a large, wide bottom for air exposure; while carafes ( are more suitable for portioning.  Decanting a wine, as we discussed with the red wine glasses, exposes the wine to more air than a wine bottle would, allowing the flavour to become richer.  When decanting wine, the achievement should be maximizing the surface area of the wine that is exposed to the air--stretching it out.  Pouring it into the glasses and letting it sit for 20 minutes will work.  Using a decanter will do it even quicker.

The aerators that you install in the bottle's top before you pour will stretch out the wine as well.  Stretching it out exposes it to the air, and achieves a good head start to decanting.