How many wine glasses is too many wine glasses? We're taking it back to basics with four common wine glass styles and what wines they complement – so you can enjoy all the flavours of your wine, in style.
Flute glasses for sparkling wine
Pair your bubbly with a tall and narrow flute glass. The narrow opening helps concentrate the complex aromas of sparkling wines while keeping the bubbles from dissipating too quickly so your bubbly continues to sparkle as you sip and enjoy. Wondering about coupes? Beautiful and on-trend, this glassware will emphasize the body and aroma of your sparkling wine versus the nature of the wine’s bubbles, which will disappear more quickly because of the glass’s more open design.
Icewine glasses for Icewine
Did you know that Inniskillin founder Donald Ziraldo enlisted Georg Riedel to design the perfect glass for Icewine? The resulting glass is tailormade for Icewine and crafted to deliver the ultimate expression of the wine's delicate notes made from those concentrated frozen grapes. Chill and serve for best results..
Tulip glasses for white wine
Tall like a flute glass with a narrow base that widens at the center and tapers at the top: The unique shape of a tulip glass enhances the citrus and floral aromas of light and crisp white wines. The long stem keeps the warmth of your hand away from the liquid, thereby keeping the wine cool, calm and collected.
Burgundy glasses for red wine
Enjoy your light-to-medium bodied reds in a Burgundy glass. The wide bowl unlocks complex aromas and also helps tame acidity and tannins, while the narrow opening protects the delicate balance of the lighter bodied reds – perfect for Pinot Noir or Gamay Noir. Don't forget to swirl before sipping to aerate the wine which will help optimize that aforementioned unlocking of the bouquet and softening of tannins.
The multipurpose wine glass
If you’re looking for stemware with is both stylish and functional, and that suits your multi-varietal passions, look for an all-purpose glass that has good height without a too-delicate stem that might be in danger in the dishwasher. Delicate is lovely for the sipping experience and aesthetics, but you don’t want a fragile glass that won’t last either so go for a glass in the design middle ground. That’s the case also for the bowl of the glass. Midsized is best: not too globe-like and not too slender, so that it suits a wine collection containing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, plus Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay. And if your budget will allow, opt for crystal over glass.
