After learning about the most popular kinds of wines available, and the different kinds of red wine glasses you should have, it is important to also the kinds of white wine glasses better suited for each kind of white wine.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay glass has that smooth U-shaped bowl. In general, glasses specifically designed for white wine will have a more upright and “U”-shaped bowl than those created to enhance the enjoyment of red wine. A great Chardonnay glass will be similar in shape to the Pinot Noir glass but will be smaller. It’s perfect for younger white wines as the opening is slightly larger, which will direct the wine that you are enjoying to the sides and tip of the tongue instead of the back of the mouth.
This way, you will be able to enjoy the sweetness of the wine. This is a great way to enjoy wine that otherwise may not seem sweet enough as the larger opening can help you really taste every sip that you take. These glasses have a fairly wide bowl with a top that only narrows a little bit. The shape of this glass, similar to the Pinot Noir, ensures that you fully enjoy the intensity and deliciousness of the wine.
Viognier
Viognier wine glass has a small bowl and a wider rim. The Viognier wine glass has a smaller bowl than a sweet wine glass and a slightly more open rim. It’s important that your Viognier glasses have a small enough bowl that the wine will not be in a lot of contact with the air as the oxygen can quickly destroy the aromatic notes for which this wine is so prized.
The aromatics of this wine commonly include violets, peaches, pears, and minerals and it’s important that you do everything to protect these amazing aromas. These wines are typically drunk a little young and can tend to be sweeter so the shape of the glass ensures that you have the best drinking experience. You won’t have to worry about missing some of the amazing floral aromas in this wine when you choose a high-quality Viognier glass to enjoy your drink.
In addition, the shape of the glass itself and the broad base that is common with these glasses ensures that you will not have an accident as they rely on a lower center of gravity to keep from being easily knocked over.
Sparkling
Sparkling, or champagne, glasses are going to be much narrower than other white wine glasses and perfectly upright. This shape helps the glass retain the carbonation of the wine and will allow it to play on your tongue when you drink. People love these wine glasses because they are designed to promote carbonation while others with wider bowls would cause the wine to quickly go flat.
You will enjoy the taste and the aroma of the wine when you have your first sip, thanks to the shape of the glass and the small opening, as the drink will hit the tip of your tongue immediately. The shape of the glass also allows the aromas of the wine to flow upward, making it easy to smell and enjoy. A wide base is important as it ensures that your tall glass does not accidentally tip over and spill or get broken.
These special-occasion flutes often come beautifully decorated and make every drink that you enjoy feel as if it is a cause for celebration. Some producers are even making sparkling wine glasses that have the bowl extend all the way through the stem.
While there are people who enjoy the look of these glasses, they will unfortunately warm up your sparkling wine when you are drinking it. This will cause it to lose carbonation and go flat much faster than if you were using a glass with a long stem.
Sweet Wine
Designed for sweeter and dessert wines, these glasses are smaller and have a much smaller rim than other white wine glasses. This makes them ideal for directing the wine to the back of the mouth. This ensures that the sweetness of the wine is not overwhelming and that the taste and feel of the wine can still be enjoyed.
In addition, swirling the wine will emphasize the acid content, which will also help combat the extreme sweetness that you can find in some sweet wines. Since dessert wines often have a higher alcohol content than other white wines, you will enjoy a smaller serving and the petite size of these glasses makes them the perfect size for an after-dinner drink. Thanks to the taper on their rim, they are easy to swirl and will keep a great balance between the air and the wine.
Vintage
While vintage wine glasses have a lot of charm, they aren’t always the best glass to drink out of. Because they are not specially designed to improve the flavor and smell of the wine that you are enjoying, they will make some wines taste better than others will, so it may be a little hit or miss when drinking out of them.
Even knowing this, many people choose them because they are so attractive and conjure up happy memories. They come in a variety of designs from plain glass to cut crystal so you can make your drink as fancy as you’d prefer. The main problem with these wine glasses is that the bowl is so wide that the wine has a lot of contact with the air. In addition, this wide bowl can be tricky to balance and so spilling your wine is much easier than with a taller, more streamlined glass.
Rose White
These long stemmed glasses are so designed so that you do not accidentally warm your drink with the heat from your hand. You can buy two kinds of Rose glasses – ones with short bowls and tapers or ones that have a short bowl with a flared lip.
They both work perfectly well, but if your Rose is younger then you will want to use a glass with a flared lip as this will help intensify the sweetness of the wine. If you are going to be drinking a more mature Rose then you can opt for a glass with a shorter stem and one without a flared lip.