14 Types of Wine Glasses & When to Use Them

Don’t know which types of wine glasses to pair with a decadent red or a summery white? Whether you’re a casual wine drinker looking to upgrade your tasting experience or a more sophisticated enthusiast filling out your glassware cabinet, you don’t have to be a sommelier to drink like one.

If it seems like there are as many styles of glasses as there are wines to fill them with, that’s because each glass is designed to bring out the full range of flavors and aromas of specific types of wines. Getting the most out of your vino of choice starts with understanding the many different types of wine glasses out there. Here’s how to tell them apart and which varietals to pair them with.

Red Wine vs. White Wine Glasses

The main difference between red and white wine glasses is the size of the bowl. Red wine glasses tend to have larger, taller bowls, while white wine glasses may have narrower, shorter bowls. If you’re just starting to branch out into more complex wines and want to start small, you could begin with two glasses more generally designed for reds and whites.

While separating between red and white is a useful way to break glasses down into broad categories (as we do below), the differences are more nuanced. In fact, there are just about as many types of wine glasses as there are varietals.

Types of Red Wine Glasses

There are many types of red wine to explore, from the staple Merlot to a fruity zinfandel to a smoky Syrah. Unlocking the true range of wine flavors and aromas requires specific wine glass shapes. Here are some of the most common options.

1. Cabernet & Universal Glasses

Versatile enough for all but the lightest styles of wine, this is the ultimate all-around glass. Its straighter sides allow plenty of contact with air so the wine can breathe and develop while directing wine to the center of the palate. This helps moderate the tannins in many red varietals. If you’re a casual wine drinker, this is a great place to start your collection.

Best for:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tempranillo

2. Pinot Noir Glasses

A balloon-shaped glass is perfect for capturing the complex characteristics of a light- or medium-bodied red wine like a Pinot Noir. The ample bowl allows plenty of space for swirling and sniffing, while the narrow rim holds in and maximizes the aromas.

Best for:

Pinot Noir, Barbera, Gamay, Dolcetto

3. Grand Cru Glasses

This unique shape brings out the complexity of the world's finest wines. The slightly flared rim highlights fruit flavors by directing wine toward the tip of the tongue. It’s suited for fuller-bodied reds, such as your most-prized or longest-aged bottles.

Best for:

Nebbiolo, Barolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Australian Shiraz, Priorat

4. Zinfandel Glasses

The bowl shape of this type of glass brings the flow of wine to the center of the tongue, highlighting lightly spiced berry notes. Designed to bring out the best qualities of medium-bodied red wines like Zinfandels, this glass perfectly balances fruity acidity and sweetness.

Best for:

Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Chianti, Rioja Crianza

5. Burgundy Glasses

Made from Pinot Noir grapes, medium- to full-bodied Burgundies require a generous amount of breathing room to encourage the full range of flavors to come through. With wide bowls and slightly flared rims, Burgundy glasses bring this subtly acidic, fruity wine to the tip of the tongue.

Best for:

Burgundy, Barolo, Barbaresco

6. Bordeaux Glasses

A Bordeaux wine glass enhances the characteristic qualities of robust red wines. The ample bowl helps uncover the wine’s bouquet, and its tapered rim guides the flow to the tip of the tongue so you can better experience the range of fruit flavors and soft tannins.

Best for:

Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

7. Syrah Glasses

A well-structured red wine like a Syrah or Shiraz benefits from a bowl with a narrow rim, which encourages it to flow to the center of the tongue. This draws the tannins to the back of the mouth, enhancing the wine’s silky smooth texture and rich black cherry notes.

Best for:

Syrah, Petite Sirah, Hermitage, Malbec, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Types of White Wine Glasses

Designed to showcase subtler aromas and flavor notes characteristic of many white wines, these wine glass types are ideal for varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and even blush wines.

8. Sauvignon Blanc Glasses

This all-purpose glass is ideal for lighter wines such as crisp whites and rosés. Its straight sides and smaller opening hold in delicate, subtle aromas, such as floral and citrus notes.

Best for:

Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Viognier, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, lighter rosés

9. Chardonnay Glasses

The wide mouth of this glass releases a broad range of aromas from full-bodied white wines. The shape ensures that your palate will pick up the wine’s acidity and help you appreciate the balance of fruit flavors.

Best for:

Chardonnay and fuller rosés

10. Rosé Glasses

These modern wine glasses feature relatively wide bowls that narrow toward the rim. This angular design allows an easy-drinking rosé or sparkling wine the room it needs for the bouquet to develop while directing the sweet effervescence toward the front of the tongue.

Best for:

Rosé, Champagne, sparkling wines

Types of Dessert Wine & Specialty Glasses

Though you may only need dessert wine glasses occasionally, you’ll be happy to have them handy for decadent sweet wine types like ports and sherries. Meanwhile, other specialty pieces like coupe wine glasses could become go-tos for entertaining.

11. Port & Dessert Glasses

These petite glasses are ideal for bringing out the rich sweetness of port wines. The slender silhouette and narrow mouth of the glass encourage the bold, fruity flavors of the wine to rise above its high alcohol content.

Best for:

Port, sherry, Madeira, fortified wines

12. Cordial Glasses

Designed for serving spirits and digestifs, cordial glasses may not technically be considered wine glasses but can be used to serve sweet dessert wines. Their slight, narrow bowls lend themselves well to small servings of indulgent after-dinner drinks.

Best for:

Schnapps, grappa and other eaux-de-vie

13. Champagne Glasses

The tall, narrow shape of a champagne glass (or flute) is ideal for sparkling wines because it preserves the bubbles and directs them toward the lip. This creates an elegant presentation and enhances the drinking experience.

Best for:

Champagne, Champagne-style sparkling wines, Prosecco, Cava

14. Coupe Glasses

Sometimes used for martinis, coupe glasses also make an excellent alternative to a fluted wine glass for serving champagne. With a slender profile and wide, shallow bowl, coupe glasses are versatile, elegant glassware designed for entertaining.

BEST FOR:

Champagne, sparkling wines, martinis

What Makes a Wine Glass?

The majority of wine glasses feature four distinct parts, each of which plays an important part in helping you enjoy what you pour into them.

Base

Sometimes called the foot, the base of the wine glass helps support and stabilize it. Large wine glasses tend to feature wider bases, while smaller glasses usually have narrower bases.

Stem

This is the slender portion of the glass connecting the base to the bowl. This is an important part of stemware, as it allows you to hold it without touching the bowl and transferring body heat to the wine, which would raise its temperature above the optimal drinking level.

Long-Stem Wine Glasses vs. Short-Stem Wine Glasses

In general, red wine glasses tend to have slightly longer stems than white wine glasses. A long stem allows you to swirl and aerate the wine more easily and avoid touching the bowl itself. A short stem increases stability and can encourage more body heat to transfer to the bowl when drinking specialty drinks like aged brandy.

Bowl

The bowl of the wine glass holds the wine itself. Bowls come in many different shapes and sizes and are specially designed to bring out the flavors and aromas of specific types of wine. Larger bowls, for example, are ideal for allowing complex reds to breathe, while narrower bowls help prevent oxidation in bright, flavor-forward whites.

Rim

At the top of the bowl is the rim, which may be wider, narrower or the same width as the bowl itself. A narrow rim helps direct the flow of wine to the optimal part of your palate and concentrates the aromas, while a wider rim distributes the wine more evenly across your palate.

How to Hold a Wine Glass

The ideal way to hold a wine glass is to pinch the stem as close to the base as is comfortable. Since your hand can transfer your natural body heat, it’s best to avoid touching the bowl of the glass, which can warm the wine slightly and alter the flavor.

How to Pour Wine

The proper way to serve wine is, in some ways, equal parts art and science. The right technique can preserve the full flavor profile of a great wine, so it’s important to follow these steps before uncorking your next bottle.

• Step 1: Open or decant the wine. Decanting wine exposes it to air — a process called oxidation — allowing it to breathe, unleashing the aromas and opening its bouquet of flavors. This is especially important for aged reds and generally doesn’t affect young reds or whites much. This is best done with a decanter, but if you don’t have one handy, you can simply leave the bottle open for 30 minutes or more for a reduced oxidation effect.
• Step 2: Place your glass on the table. Once you’re ready to pour, resist the urge to hold your glass up to the bottle. This allows you to position the bottle for the pour — keep a napkin or towel in place to prevent drippage.
• Step 3: Pour the wine. Position the bottle’s opening directly above the glass and pour roughly five ounces, the standard wine serving size.
• Step 4: End the pour. Once you’ve finished your five-ounce pour, twist the bottle as you tilt it upright again. Wipe away any excess wine that drips down from the lip of the bottle.

How Many Glasses of Wine Are in a Bottle?

There are typically five glasses of wine in a bottle. The standard serving size of wine is five ounces, and bottles generally contain 25 fluid ounces of wine.

Common Wine Accessories

Looking to start drinking wine like a sommelier? Here are a few of our favorite wine tools and accessories to help you get the most out of your wine.

Decanter

No fine red wine can be enjoyed at its peak flavor without a decanter. Transfer from the bottle to this separate vessel to allow your wine to aerate, bringing out the full range of tasting notes and aromas.

Aerator

Don’t like to wait for your wine? Pour it straight from the bottle through an aerator to filter and stimulate the wine before it even hits your glass so you can skip decanting and go straight to sipping.

Wine Cellar

You don’t need to dedicate a basement to store your wine at the optimal temperature. Electric wine cellars can fit into your kitchen, dining room or entertaining space to create a temperature-controlled environment that’s perfect for maintaining the taste of well-aged wines.

Wine Preservers

Never worry about the quality of unfinished wine again with a wine preserver. These devices plug the lip and automatically release ultrapure argon gas so you can savor a single bottle for up to four weeks.

Choosing the Right Type of Wine Glass

A great wine deserves to be tasted under the perfect conditions, and that requires the right drinkware. While the differences between the types of wine glasses above may seem small, the fact is, each is specially designed to bring out the best in specific types of wines. Want to put it to the test? Host a wine tasting and see for yourself!