I once believed that great wineglasses were like expensive jewelry: wonderful to own, but hardly essential. I was wrong. Over the last decade, I’ve done numerous "glass tastings" during which the same wine is sampled in different glasses, and I've discovered that wine tastes remarkably better in some glasses than in others. Having good wineglasses, therefore, isn't just about aesthetics. With the holidays, you'll likely serve wine to guests with a special meal, so it's a good time to reconsider the glasses you use.

LOOK FOR THESE DETAILS

1. A thin, cut rim so the wine glides over it with ease. Some glasses have “rolled” rims, which can feel fat against the lips and can actually cause the wine to dribble into your mouth.

2. Smooth, clear glass so you can see the wine. Housewares stores are chock-full of pretty, brightly colored and faceted wineglasses, but these distort the appearance of wine and often make it look muddy.

3. A generously sized bowl (12 to 20 ounces) so the wine can be easily swirled. Swirling helps “open up” the wine to make it smell richer and taste fuller. The bowl of the glass should be shaped like a C turned on its back, and the glass should taper inward toward the top. This concentrates the aroma of the wine in the headspace of the glass to accentuate its scent and flavors. Glasses that are too small or shaped like a V generally make wine taste dull or neutral.

4. Good proportions so the glass feels well-balanced in your hand. It shouldn’t be top-heavy or have a stem that’s so long the glass is perennially on the verge of tipping over.

Different Shapes
There are dozens of variously shaped wineglasses tailored to specific wines, but how many shapes do you really need? I say two, maybe three. First, you need all-purpose red wineglasses, which can be used for all types of wine, including white.

The other essential is a set of sparkling wine/Champagne flutes. Flutes encourage a steady stream of bubbles to the top of the glass.

Once you have these, consider buying one other shape if there is a particular wine you love. For example, glasses designed for Bordeaux wines direct the wine to the tip of the tongue to emphasize the wine’s fruit flavors.

Cleaning Tips
Wash wineglasses by hand using a small amount of diluted soap and lukewarm to hot water. Always rinse glasses thoroughly. Once a wineglass is dry, it should be stored upright, not on its more fragile rim.