If the Wine Matters, So Does the Glass

“If the Wine Matters, So Does the Glass.”™

Since this tagline is trademarked by Bottega del Vino, Bottlenotes’ crystal partner, clearly I’m drinking the Kool-Aid. But the question naturally is ,“How much does it matter?”

I’ll try to convince you in less than 2 minutes, with 2 answers, that it matters a lot:

1)      Great stems enhance the aromatics of a wine.

Ever notice how things taste duller if you have a cold? It’s because your olfactory system directly impacts your sense of taste. In fact, 80% of the wine consuming experience is what you smell. Utilizing stemware that is design to enliven the aromas of a wine will thereby directly impact your sensory experience of the wine. Stems such as Bottega del Vino’s Rosso Amarone that have a bulbous basket and are tulip-lipped are designed specifically to bring out and accentuate the aromas of red wine.

Don’t believe me? Try tasting red wine in any stem by first just tasting it. Then, swirl the glass of wine, aerating the wine, which serves to “enliven” the aromas of the wine. Now taste it. Should create a more fragrant bouquet, therefore richer notes on the nose.

2)      The shape of the glass affects your experience of the wine.

Ever notice how at a restaurant a server will bring you different stems whether you are drinking a white or a red wine, and perhaps even whether you are drinking a Sauvignon Blanc vs. Chardonnay, or a Pinot Noir vs. Cabernet Sauvignon?

This is part in parcel for the pomp and circumstance of bringing out multiple stems, which I for one love. But it is also due to the bio-chemistry of your palate.

Great stems direct the given wine to the exact portion of your palate with receptors most attuned to given flavor profiles of the white or red wine. It’s for this reason that a Sauvignon Blanc will come in a narrower stem, and a Chardonnay in something with a wider “basket.”

In Conclusion: If you only have patience/budget/room for one glass right now? Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) glasses are the most versatile, according to the experts. If you have room for a white and red stem? A “Chardonnay” (White Burgundy) and Pinot Noir/Red Burgundy or an Amarone stem are the broadest in versatility.

Final Note: Your stemware should at least be “as good” as the wine you are drinking. (ie: no one would buy a tricked-out BMW and have a super JV stereo system.) Best of all: great stems can “enhance” average wine to good, and sometimes even good wine to great. They’re an investment that keeps giving back. So yes, if the wine matters, so does the glass. Cheers! (Alyssa Rapp, March 12, 2007)

Comments

[tony]

I agree with this that different type of material glasses give u different taste.

[jackee]

If the Wine Matters, So Does the Glass nice article i also love red wine yes different type of glasses give u different taste and smell