Unlock the Full Flavour : Why the Right Glass Matters for Your (Natural) Wine – and How to Choose It

Unlock the Full Flavour : Why the Right Glass Matters for Your (Natural) Wine – and How to Choose It

From Gatsby-style coupes to Italian trattoria tumblers, you can drink wine from almost anything. But, going the extra mile and finding the right glass can enhance the whole drinking experience. (Moreover, the shape of the glass can contribute some sensorial support for your tasting, or it can be an indicator of the vibe of the evening – like the Gatsby coupes, justly.) 

by Maximilian Schiebe (certified tea, wine, sake and beer sommelier)

Why does the wine glass look like it does?

Let’s start with the material first: why glass? Because it’s nicely neutral aromatic-wise and it retains temperature well. Temperature is key in good wine experience. This is also, why the stem is an essential part of the glass – it allows you to hold the glass without touching the bowl part of the glass, and thus prolonges the time during which the wine in the glass keeps the right temperature (7 – 9°C for the bubbles, 10 – 14°C for the whites, 13 – 16°C for the reds). Not only you don't warm the wine up with your body temperature, but it's also more elegant and leaves your glass cleaner – no smudgy fingerprints!

Drinking wine in fine glassware is not just a show-off or snobism; the lighter and thinner the glass, the less you think about the vessel and the more you feel the wine. 

Here comes the first little trick: when you pick up a fine glass by the stem, your brain goes into hyper-awareness mode. Your fingertips, just like your lips and the whole body, register the fragility. It instantly elevates the drinking experience—you’re more focused not only on not breaking the dainty glass but also what’s in it.

The remaining parts of the glass are:

Base – for stability

Bowl – for surface contact & aroma release

Rim – Narrow to direct aromatics straight to your nose

The measures and shapes of the glass depend on the specific wine you want to serve. The rule of thumb could be: the more alcohol, more viscosity and less acidity, the wider the glass. And vice versa, the more acidity and freshness, the narrower the bowl, to keep the lively aromatics together.  

These are the most typical kinds of glasses – the most commonly found in restaurants, and also convenient for your home use:



Each of these wine styles have a different aromatic and flavour profile and tasting experience  – for example, the flute is narrow to gather the bubbles, while the Burgundy glass is much wider to allow for the aromas to fully develop.

A bit of geeky science behind this: what happens in the glass is that as the wine evaporates, the oxygen is mixing with the wine and can separate the aromatic compounds from the liquid and diffuse them into the air, so that we can smell it. And the bigger the surface of the wine in the glass, the more evaporation.

That's also why you see all that swirling – it helps to release even more aromas. Try it yourself: smell your wine before and after a swirl and you’ll see what we mean.

 

Sparkling wines are often served in narrow flutes because they keep the CO2 concentrated in the glass. However, that charming fizzy kick is only one part of the sparkling wine experience – there's also the wine part. So, if you want to unlock more aromatics, especially with complex sparkling wines (like good Champagne or sekt, especially vintage and aged ones), wider and white wine glasses work beautifully. They offer just enough surface area for the wine to truly open up—without losing all the bubbles.

Aged wines need a lot of air, that’s why you often also see them decanted, to „Awaken the Spirits“ and to enjoy the flavours. The same is happening in a Burgundy glass - an aged Chardonnay, or a brooding Barolo will be happy in a Burgundy glass with a lot of air where they can show their full potential. 

The rim – the narrow opening of the glass then leads the aromas straight to a sweet spot where, when you're drinking the wine, your nose, mouth and the wine are in a somewhat „isolated“ sphere, where you can enjoy all the aromatics to the fullest and won’t be distracted by smells from outside. 

 

And How About Orange Wines?

Wondering about where do your favourite skin-contacts fall into all this? For fresher, lighter macerated orange wine styles, go for a white wine glass—it keeps those delicate floral and citrus notes in focus. If you're sipping something more structured (think longer skin contact, qvevri, or whole bunch fermentation), a Bordeaux glass helps open it up. And for rich, oxidative or malolactic amber wine styles? A Burgundy glass will give all those nutty, savoury layers room to shine.

 

Drink How You Like, But Know Your Tools (And Respect the Wine and Its Creator)

To sum it up... A fancy glass isn’t a strict requirement. We know there are moments when you drink wine in something like a mason jar and it still hits the spot, thanks to the cosy setting and the good company...

But when you do use good stemware, you unlock new layers—of aroma, taste, and appreciation.

You also valorise and honour the winemakers' hard work and craft by enjoying the wine at its best – and natural wine is all about respect.

Great natural wine can be a true work of art and a gift of nature, and it's worth to go the extra mile and enjoy it in a proper glassware that matches its complexity and rarity, and brings out more joy in its sensory and culinary aspect.

So whether it’s couch night or a big dinner party, pick your glass and let the wine shine.

 

Where to Get It? Our Favourite Glass Brands

If you're ready to level up, these are some of our go-to glassmakers:

  • Zalto – feels like nothing in your hand
  • Grassl – function meets finesse
  • JosephinenhĂĽtte – handmade beauties with serious design
  • Riedel – the OG of functional glassware with Czech roots

  • Stölzle Lausitz – very good quality, performance, and durability at an accessible price point

  • Gabriel Glas – versatility and value

  • Kvetna 1794 – blending the famous Czech glass tradition with modern design

  • Rona – Slovak-made glasses with great value for money

 

And Last But Not Least: How To Clean Your Glassware?

Unless you have a professional dishwasher, hand washing is the best option if you want to keep the glasses safe. Hold the bowl in the palm of your hand (holding it by the stem increases the risk of breakage) and gently wash inside and out, then polish and dry it using a microfiber polishing cloth. 

Can't be bothered to wash the glasses right away? (Don't worry, we've all been there, after a long night of.. thorough tasting, so no judgment there .) Make at least sure to rinse the glasses to get rid of any remains of the wine that would otherwise dry out overnight and make your cleaning a misery the next day – worth it!

 

About the author:

Max Schiebe (32) is a certified sommelier for tea, wine, sake and beer who has 12 years of gastronomy experience, including several Japanese cuisine places and 6 years as Head Sommelier and Restaurant Manager at the lauded Oh, Panama.

Born and raised in Berlin, Max actually wanted to become a teacher or forest keeper when he was young, and he still likes to hide himself in forests, museums, libraries and wine cellars; always searching for authenticity and wisdom that touche the soul and the mind. 

His favourite wine glass the Stolzle Burgundy Quatrophil – and drinking Champagne straight from the bottle!

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