Wine Glass Reviews and Buying Guide:

Wine connoisseurs are the first to tell you that having the right type of wine glass with a specific type of wine will make it taste better. As a rule of thumb, different wine should be served in specific wine glasses to achieve the best effect of the wine and all its flavors and aromas. Taste tests by experts in the wine field have proven that drinking wine from particular types of wine glasses will produce a more desirable flavor and taste which is what wine producers want you to get from their wines. The problem with all this technical jargin with wine glasses is that most people don't realize they are missing out on the true essence of their Pinots, Chardonnays, or Cabernets. In the 1950's, the Austrian glass maker Riedel Crystal was able to manufacturer stemware so that wine glasses with a unique shape and size could be used with almost all wine variations. Keep in mind that wine is much more than just the smell and taste, many wine experts say the "visual aspect" of wine in the glass is just as important to the senses. You want wine glasses that show off the unique colors and hues of your wine and don't hide it. Thin, lead crystal has the transparency and luster that displays wine at its best.

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Red wines are traditionally served in wine glasses with broader, larger bowls with bigger bouquets while a narrower wine glass is used for lighter white wines as a way to concentrate the "delicate aromas". Red wines that are served in "tulip" shaped bowls that taper slightly inward toward the rim will allow your nose to sniff the wine properly. You also want to make sure that when filling your wine glass to only fill it about 1/3 to 1/2 full. This allows the "bouquet" to be captured in the upper bowl as it rises when the wine is swirled. Red wine glasses can be held under the bowl since red wine is served at room temperature and this shouldn't effect the wine taste but with white wines that are served chilled, always hold them from the stem so that your body heat doesn't warm them up. You also want to look for wine glasses that have a "cut" rim rather than a "rolled or bumped" rim. A "cut" rim lets the wine pour evenly onto your tongue so you get the full effect of the wine. The best wine glass brands are Riedel, Spiegelau, Libbey, Mikasa, Lenox, and Bodum. We have to clarify that Riedel is by far and the way #1 wine glass producer with all the others fighting for a distant second place. We did research online to find out just which wine glasses are the best and which ones are the top sellers as chosen by consumers and experts at online stores like Amazon.com and in wine discussion forums found at Letstalkwine.com, Wineweb.com, and Forums.winespectator.com. Not surprising were the findings that Riedel dominates the wine glass market, but we did locate a few bargains in stemware that are listed below.

Best Wine Glasses:

Riedel has three main ranges of glassware, the premium "Sommeliers" range (prices up to $100/stem), the moderate Vinum collection and the "competitive" Ouverture series for beginning wine drinkers. Most wine lovers who own Riedels stick with the Vinum's, which has a good range of glasses for the individual styles. One of the most popular wine glass sets is the Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses ($80) - you get a set of 4 glasses with large bowls for full bodied red wines. The glass is designed to enhance the taste of wines like Pinot Noir, Gamay and Red Burgundy. Wine drinkers say these burgundy glasses will bring out all the best flavors and smells of an expensive wine ($70-$100) but say when used on slightly less expensive wines ($20-$40) it can actually hurt the aroma and taste. Use these glasses on fine wines and leave the Spiegelau stemware for your everday wines. You can buy this set online at Amazon.com or check out more Riedel offerings online at their website (Riedel.com). The new Riedel O stemware series with no stem is the latest glass from Riedel and wine lovers are wondering if they will match their marketing hype. We will include those in this review once we get more feedback on them.

Value/Budget Wine Glass:

Without having to sacrifice too much on the wine tasting experience and all the while saving money compared to the Riedel glasses, wine enthusiasts say go with the Spiegelau Vino Grande Red Wine Glasses ($45). The set gives you 6 wine glasses that measure 9 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches in diameter across the top of the glass. They are made in Germany and are very similar in style to the Riedel, except much cheaper in price. The Spiegelau wine glasses make an excellent housewarming or bridal gift. Spiegelau has done such a great job of creating inexpensive wine glasses that sell exceptionally well that Riedel purchased them in 2004 and so you essentially get Riedel quality at Spiegelau prices. The Spiegelau wine glasses are perfect for those mid-priced reds and I have found that the Oregon Pinot Noirs that I buy are superb in these glasses. For a complete rundown of all the Spiegelau wine glass offerings, go to their website at Spiegelau.com.

Wine Glass Charms:

If you are planning a large party or get together at your house and need to keep track of who is drinking from which wine glass, then consider buying a few sets of wine glass charms. They are offered in so many themed categories that you are sure to find something that fits your kitchen decor and help people from sipping on others wine glasses. Most wine glass charms are about $10-$15 for a set of 6 and we found the best selection online at Wineglasscharms.com. They carry over 500 wine charms and markers with themes like boats, beach, celestial, fruits, golf, tennis, flowers, cats, etc. Order online or call their phone # to order via the telephone.

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