Stem where?

Grabbing a nice piece of glass

by Thor Iverson

UNCORKED

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It may seem like yet another thing that makes wine-drinking needlessly inaccessible, but stemware is actually a fairly important part of wine appreciation. Not only can the right glass bring out and enhance the special qualities of a wine, but nice glasses -- which doesn't necessarily mean expensive glasses -- look really cool. And since we're in the gift-giving season, this is an opportune time to think about what's out there.

The better stemware makers treat glasses as a sort of science. Wine is a very aromatic beverage; in fact, the majority of a wine's "taste" is not taste at all, but actually a combination of what we smell with our nose and the evaporated aromas inside the mouth. Glasses can enhance the specific aromatic profiles of various wines, or they can subdue them. I've seen stemware producers run side-by-side "glass tastings" at countless wine events, and it's always fun to watch the light dawn on people's faces as they note the incredible difference a glass can make. The aromas multiply, and the flavors are sharper and more pronounced. If you don't believe me, try it yourself; most wine shops that sell specialty glasses will be happy to set up a comparative tasting for you.

Probably the most important feature of a good wine glass is the size of the bowl (the part that holds the wine). To facilitate swirling, and to capture those wonderful aromas in a place where we can get to them, a wine glass should have a fairly large bowl with a rim that curves inward. If there's one general-purpose wine glass that everyone should own, this is it. (In fact, this is the shape most people visualize when they think "wine glass.") You'll see lots of variations -- some glasses are taller, some are wider, and some have lips that flare outward at the edge. But the size of the bowl is the crucial thing.

For a little bit of diversity, get different glasses for reds and whites. Glasses for red wine should be the bigger of the two and should have a rounder bowl, as red wines generally tend to be more aromatic than whites. White-wine glasses can be slightly smaller, and slightly more vertical (although for really aromatic whites such as viognier, you might want to give your red glasses a shot). All wine glasses should be clear so that the color of the wine can be properly appreciated. Cuts and other ornamental details are a matter of personal taste, though most serious wine nerds (like myself) prefer completely unadorned stemware.

And don't forget the Champagne. Sparkling-wine glasses should be tall and thin. Never use the flat, saucer-shaped glasses, which render a sparkling wine flat in very little time. The thick, heavy Waterford crystal-style flutes often given as wedding gifts are more ornamental than functional.

Once you move past the basics, there are a lot of little details that can enhance your stemware. A thin, flat rim is better than a rolled (rounded) rim at delivering the wine directly to the tasting surfaces of your tongue. And though it's a lot more expensive, crystal has an inherently rougher surface than glass, which causes more turbulence when the wine is swirled, adding to the aromas.

For extreme wine geeks, there's a lot of research going into how the shape of a glass can enhance a specific wine. The company that has led this research is the Austrian firm Riedel, which makes crystal glasses for just about every different type of wine, spirit, and liquid. That is, the glasses for white Burgundy and grand cru Burgundy are different; so are the glasses for ruby Port and tawny Port. Cognac glasses vary depending on the age of the spirit. And so on. There's no Kool-Aid glass yet, but give them time.

The philosophy behind these glasses is too extensive to explain here; visit their Web site at http://www.riedel.com for more information. If you're thinking about buying Riedel, keep in mind that the company makes several different lines: the Sommeliers series is hand-blown and way expensive; Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses are around $70 each. The Vinum series of machine-blown glasses is priced from the low teens to about $28 (for what it's worth, I own a bunch of these). The Overture series is a much less expensive "everyday" line. Riedel glasses are available at most wine stores and from various mail-order sources (the best prices are probably those at Brown Derby: http://www.brownderby.com).

For those not willing to drop their entire holiday budget on glasses, there are many excellent alternatives. The German firm Spiegelau makes wonderful glasses in various shapes, sizes, and prices, also available through wine shops. And Crate & Barrel has several brands of stemware (usually glass, not crystal), which are all functional and extremely reasonable in price.

Finally, a few words about taking care of your glasses. Fine crystal should always be hand-washed, as the dishwasher will eventually etch its surface (glass stemware is more resilient). Use the hottest water you can stand, and as little soap as possible (some people insist on none, but I don't find that to be realistic). Wipe the glasses gently with a soft cloth or a soft sponge, paying special attention to the area on both sides of the rim. Then rinse as many times as you can . . . and when you're done, rinse them again (soap residue on your glasses will absolutely kill your wine). A final rinse with distilled water is preferred by some. Then either let the glasses drip-dry, or immediately dry them with a good lint-free cloth. Either way, a wipe with a lint-free cloth before you put them away is essential.

Also, watch where you put them away; glasses -- especially crystal glasses -- pick up a lot of odors from the environment, so don't store them near anything smelly (like your stove). And if you've enjoyed a little too much wine from your new glasses, don't wash them until the next morning. Unfortunately, I say this from sad experience.

Thor Iverson can be reached at wine@phx.com.

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