The perfect vessel for every drink and shelf space to spare. Cheers to that!
Even the most perfectly crafted drink can be made average by the wrong glass. Glassware is important, particularly if you fancy yourself the host with the most. Does this mean you have to buy every kind of glass there is? Not at all. Just as when setting up your home bar, start with your favourites. Noir aficionado? You deserve amazing wine glasses - it actually affects the taste of the wine. Champagne flutes are essential for the preservation of bubbles - no one wants flat bubbles and great highball tumblers can make your table pop and even a glass of tap water feel like a treat.
Get ready for the only glassware guide you’ll ever need to reference.
Red wine glasses have a wider bowl, and are usually larger than glasses for white wine. This is to give the red wine more surface area to “breathe”. Literally, letting it interact with the air and give off vapours, which helps the big and bold flavours develop.
Red wine glasses even get as specific as different shapes for different varietals. A Burgundy glass has a wide brim so are more open (ideal for lighter-bodied wines like pinots too). A Bordeaux glass (for heavier-bodied wines) has a wide bowl and tapers at the brim. The shape of the glass can affect the taste of the wine, as it changes how much the wine can ‘breathe’ and the vapours it lets off.
White wine glasses are usually taller due to a longer stem. This is to create more distance between the wine and your hand so it doesn’t affect the temperature of the wine. These from Country Road are an ideal, classic design.
Finally, stemless glasses. Handy for the accident-prone, but you do have to be wary of the heat from your hands. Best used at dinner where the drinks can stay on the table.
If you’re a straight-from-the-bottle beer drinker, you might be surprised at the array of beer-dedicated glassware out there. It’s vast. Pint glasses, of course, but there’s pilsner glasses that have a trumpeted shape, and sometimes have a small stem. The wide glass top retains the foamy head.
Beer mugs or steins are tall with thick glass walls and a handle to keep a whole beer nice and cold. Ideal for summer days.
Finally, there are the beer goblets. The fanciest in shape and occupation: they are designed for analysing the flavour profile and aroma. They are best for heavier beer types.
Tall and narrow, these glasses are for cocktails that have more mixer than alcohol. Think a gin and tonic, a mojito or a bloody mary – which is actually more garnish than drink.
Highball glasses are also your go-to for a big glass of water or juice or soft drink. Super versatile, these are good glasses to have some fun with. Coloured or rippled glass is a nice option. Aeyre Cascais Cups are both as are Fazeek Wave Glasses! For a more traditional height, but still all fun, Kartell Jellies Family Cocktail Glasses are show (or BBQ) stoppers.
Like the teapot, these glasses are short and stout. With straight sides and a wide brim, they are usually made with a thicker glass and a heavy bottom ideal for strong drinks you tend to nurse. Like whiskey, no matter how you take it. Neat, on the rocks with a splash of water, the tumbler holds it all.
These are usually made from crystal, and can be expensive, but you can always find a less costly dupe. The IKEA Frasera Whiskey glass is a great option.
