A Guide to Stemware

Appropriate stemware should add elegance to the table and improve the wine-drinking experience. There are standards to determine the correct size and shape of stemware for specific varieties of wine.

Selection

• Basic stemware choices include a white wine glass, a bourdeaux glass, a burgundy glass, and a champagne flute. Wide-bowled burgundy and bourdeaux glasses are for red wine, while white wine glasses are narrower and champagne flutes tall and slender. Wine expert Konrad Ejbich suggests buying the best glasses within your budget designed for favorite wines, and building the collection from there.

Considerations

• A glass with a thin lip and proper tulip-shaped bowl will concentrate aromas and direct the wine to the correct part of the mouth. Crystal's coarser surface enhances wine. Tiny flaws or air bubbles in hand-blown glass or crystal come from the production process and show they're handmade.

Care

• Crystal's porous surface holds odors, so wash it before as well as after use in hot, soapy water and dry it with a lint-free cloth. For crystal or glass, use a drop of dish soap in each glass, wash with fingers or a clean sponge, and rinse them several times.