Every beginner knows that enjoying a great glass of wine is more than about taste; however many don't know that choosing the right type of glass to serve wine is almost as important as the vintage served.
We'll try to simplify here in a few paragraphs some guidelines on choosing the correct glass to present your wine.
You can learn more here about the different types of wine glasses.
Basically, there are three parts to a traditional wine glass, the stem the foot, and the bowl. Typically these glasses are held by the stem when drinking white wine. This is done to prevent heat transfer from the hand to the wine, thus maintaining its correct serving temperature.
Red wines do not require the same consideration as these are generally served at room temperature, thus stemmed or stemless wine glasses are an option for most reds.
Good wine glasses generally have the common element of clear glass which allows you to view the true color of the wine. Blown glass is preferred over fused or cut glass which can interfere with drinkability.
The bowl is the key element in allowing you to appreciate the full aroma of the wine and also in how the wine is positioned to drink. Ideally, the shape of the glass should direct the wine to the portion of the palate best suited to the particular wine's taste and character. We can characterize wine glasses in the following way:
Red Wine Glasses: typically hold 12 to 24 oz and have a round shape with a wider bowl. These glasses allow you to spread the aroma out swirling to savor both color and aroma. Stemmed or stem less wine glasses for reds are very popular choices. A useful tip here if you are serving red wine in a casual setting, go with stems less.