A wine glass's shape changes how the aromas spread and how the wine tastes. The basic rule is to choose a bowl that narrows at the rim to gather the aromas. If you're buying just one, a medium-sized glass that works for both red and white is handy.
Glasses by type
| Wine | Glass character |
|---|---|
| Red (full) | Large, wide bowl. Lets aromas open up |
| Red (light) & white | Medium bowl. Keeps freshness |
| Sparkling | Tall, narrow flute. Shows off the bubbles |
Why does the glass change the taste?
The size of the bowl and how much the rim narrows change how much aroma reaches your nose and where the wine first lands on your tongue — so the same wine can give a different impression from glass to glass.
A great first glass
For beginners, one medium glass with a fairly large bowl that narrows at the rim covers a wide range of wines. For choosing the wine itself, see our wine beginner's guide.
Honestly, a 100-yen-shop glass is often plenty
To be honest, for everyday wine a 100-yen-shop glass is often perfectly fine. They're well made these days and you can use them without a second thought. No need to fret about breakage — use them long enough and one will eventually break, and enjoying wine casually, breakage and all, is the best way. Start with an affordable glass, and once you've fallen for wine, add one nicer stem — that order works perfectly well.
FAQ
Q. Do I need an expensive glass?
A. No. An affordable glass is fine to start. Simply choosing a rim that narrows changes how you enjoy the aromas.
