Nothing quite hits the spot after a long day like a glass of wine—but when all you want to do is unwind, is a proper wine glass really worth the trouble of digging up or taking extra care to wash after? Why does one need to use a wine glass specifically for wine, when a normal glass or mug could do the job?
Believe it or not, there is a good reason it’s better to use a proper wine glass for wine rather than just any other drinking vessel. In this article, we explore whether wine glasses really make a difference in how your wine tastes, and how to spot a good one—handy for the next time you shop wine glasses in Metro Manila or when you want to buy natural wine in the Philippines!
What makes wine glasses different from normal ones?
Believe it or not, wine glasses aren’t just made to look fancier than your normal glass or water goblet: they’re specifically designed to enhance what you can taste from them.
The most obvious distinction is that a wine glass has a stem and base at the bottom. The stem of a wine glass is there for you to hold rather than the bowl. Holding the latter with your fingertips not only leaves grimy and obvious fingerprints, but also does something far more serious: it allows the heat from your hands to warm up the wine.
You’ll also notice that a wine glass has a large bowl where the liquid is situated, and narrows down to the rim where you sip from. Both of these also serve a purpose: a bigger bowl exposes your wine to more oxygen, which unearths more aromas. The narrowed rim traps said aromas and makes it easier for you to swirl your wine without making a mess.
How does using a wine glass affect what you taste?
Wine glasses are specifically designed to maximize the aromas that you can pick up and help your wine stay cooler for longer. The stem keeps the heat of your hands from warming up the wine, which can release unwanted amounts of tannin and acidity.
80% of what you taste when you eat or drink something actually comes from your sense of smell (which is why your sense of taste takes a hit when you have a cold or simply pinch your nose). That said, the wider bowl is designed to aerate the wine and bring out more of its aromas, especially when you swirl. The narrowed rim concentrates these aromas inside the glass so that when you lean in to take a whiff, you can pick up more notes, which then shape what you eventually taste when you finally take a sip.
Wine glasses can also come in slightly different shapes made specifically for different styles of wine such as sparkling wine, red wine, or white wine.
How to spot a good wine glass
Though a properly-shaped wine glass is better than a mug or a cup, not all wine glasses are actually made equal: there are many ways you can tell a high-quality one apart from one made cheaply.
For one, high-quality wine glasses will be made of crystal rather than normal glass—and there are actually tangible differences you can pick up. Crystal is tougher and can be blown much thinner without breaking: you’ll notice that it will be lightweight and less than one millimeter thick. The rim of the glass where you drink from will be laser cut, rather than rounded. Crystal will also be clearer and more brilliant than normal glass by default.
To quickly test whether a wine glass is made of crystal or not, you can also tap it between the bowl and a rim with the your finger and nail: crystal should produce a bell-like tone, rather than a quick clink.
Combine this with a proper shape narrower at the rim than at the bowl, as well as a stable base and stem, and you have yourself a quality wine glass.
One of our favorite brands is by glassmaker Mark Thomas (a wine enthusiast himself), whose elegant Double Bend series—each glass (whether for Champagne, reds, or universal use) is incredibly lightweight, with a distinctive shape with two bends emphasized to better aerate and concentrate aromas for your drinking pleasure.
Do I need to use a wine glass every time I want to enjoy some wine?
Realistically speaking: no, you don’t actually need to use a wine glass every single time you want some vino. A mug, glass, water goblet, or paper cup will do the trick if you’ve had a long day and you are drinking wine purely for its alcohol content.
However, if you actually want to fully taste and enjoy everything a wine has to offer—especially if it’s a particularly premium bottle or something special you’ve been aging—then a clean, correctly-shaped wine glass is definitely a necessity. A proper wine glass allows you to see a wine and appreciate its color, to swirl with less likelihood of spilling, to pick up notes and aromas more easily, and to sip with as little barrier as possible.
You can drink wine with any vessel, but you can only properly taste wine from a wine glass. That’s why we recommend you make it your default, no matter the occasion—though at the end of the day, it is ultimately your wine and your choice.
Where to shop high-quality wine glasses in Metro Manila
If you’re looking for high-quality wine glasses made from crystal, the (Super)Natural online wine store where you can shop the coveted Double Bend series by Mark Thomas, including its wine glasses designed for Champagne, Reds, and Allround use as well as its special decanter.
Shop natural wine and premium wine glasses at supernaturalwine.ph. Same-day delivery in Metro Manila available for orders placed before 2 PM on weekdays.
