GLASS IS GLASS, RIGHT?
If you’re looking to purchase new wine glasses, you’ll soon discover that there is a big difference between inexpensive glasses and costlier glasses. There are several factors that you should take into account when looking for new glasses.
Aesthetics should be a primary concern, the reason being that as long as you are enjoying your wine, you might as well enjoy the look and feel of the glass that it is in as well.
The following are some additional factors that should be taken into account when shopping for wine glasses in bulk or even just some fun wine glasses
MECHANICS
Clear, simple stemware shows off the wine much better than the “cut crystal” kind. The glass should be on a tall stem ( yet still balanced ) so that you can keep the warmth of your hands away from the wine. Thin crystal is preferred by many simply because it feels and sounds nice.
SHAPE
The basic “tulip” shaped glass is probably the most widely recognized and the one that works the best The tulip shape allows the maximum air surface for the wine to release it’s bouquet and then concentrates it at the top as you smell and drink it. In general, red wines, with their more concentrated and complex bouquet, benefit from a “fatter” tulip shape than do whites.
A fun test is for you to take one of the red wines that you drink and pour a bit into a standard water glass. Then pour some into a wine glass. Let them stand a few minutes and see how the bouquet and and the flavors compare.
We recommend the use of two basic shapes for wine tastings at home.
Balloon Wine Glasses for everyday and for tasting parties
Tall Wine Glasses for when we are treating ourselves to some of our finer red wines
CLEANING GLASSWARE
This is the part most people despise about wine tastings, having to clean the wine glassesafterwards, but did you know that how you do this can have an effect on your wine?
One thing to keep in mind is that fine crystal is much more porous than normal glassware and as a result, those wonderfully clear glasses can absorb tastes and odors from such things as cardboard storage boxes, soap, chlorine etc. So it is important to ensure that they are clean prior to your next tasting.
It is not recommended that you wash your wine glasses in a dishwasher for several reasons. The primary being that stems can break easily during the drying cycle. You are also actually “baking” in some of the residue from the cleaning liquid that you use when you use the drying cycle.
To wash; it is recommended that you use dishwashing soap, it is important to use a soap and not a detergent since the soap rinses cleaner than a detergent will. We highly recommend investing in a small “sponge on a stick” type of cleaning utensil in order to fully penetrate the glass.
Dry the outside of the glass by holding it with one end of a towel and drying with the other end. Proceed to rinse the glasses very well and invert them on a towel to air dry. (note: forcing a towel down into fine crystal can result in broken glasses).
Just before serving always rinse out the glasses with water, distilled works best if it is available.
***Grabbed from: http://www.thetipsygrape.com/articles/How-To-Tips-and-Info/how-to-clean-wine-glasses