An Ultimate Guide to the Best Wine Glasses for Every Wine Lover

Ok, first let’s get this out of the way. Does a wine glass actually matter? Does it make a difference in the way the wine tastes? The answer is absolutely, yes. What you choose as your vessel, has a direct impact on how that wine is going to taste, how the aromas will develop and the overall wine experience. 

The experience you have with a wine glass also largely depends on what wine you are drinking. Different varietals perform better in different shaped glasses. For example a big red wine, like a Napa Cabernet or a Bordeaux is best enjoyed in a wine glass with a large bowl to allow for swirling and more room for aeration, while on the other hand, a more fragrant and aromatic white wine may be best served in a glass with a smaller bowl. Of course, all of this is subjective but I have certainly enjoyed wines much more after pouring them into the proper glass. 

I’ve put in the work and personally tried out all of these wine glasses to deliver a glass for every type of wine drinker. This list includes very high end glassware for those who want to splurge, all the way down to an affordable, every day glass that will still enhance your wine experience. Plus, my favorite, universal wine glasses, where you can be sure you’ll enjoy most varietals out of it, saving you cupboard space!

The Best Wine Glass for Those That Want to Splurge:

Mark Thomas Double Bend

Wow, this glass is unique, gorgeous and absolutely eye catching. The Mark Thomas Double Bend glasses come in a variety of shapes depending on the varietal you want to use them for. I found I really enjoyed the Double Bend Red – it worked for all of my big reds, Cabs, Merlot, Zin, Syrah and so on. The bowl is big so there’s lots of room to swirl. And you just feel extra cool drinking out of these, not going to lie! They’re lightweight but not so delicate that you feel you may break them at any second. They’re mouth-blown crystal from Europe – which explains the price. A splurge but worth it! I recommend hand washing. 

Grassl 

This 1855 glass by Grassl is so elegant and light weight.  It is a bit delicate, so you just have to be careful when washing and no wild cheersing! It has a big bowl, with a flatter bottom and taller, straighter sides. I love the shape – perfect for all varieties in my opinion but especially reds – all the way from Cab to Pinot. Grassl glasses are handcrafted and mouth-blown in Switzerland, made from crystal. I recommend hand washing.

Riedel Performance Wine Glassware

If you’re looking for glassware that is specific for each varietal, Riedel Performance is a great option. I have personally tried their Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Champagne specific performance series glasses, and it’s true, it does enhance the wine and the experience. The glasses in this series tend to be large, especially the Cabernet and Pinot Noir glass. Inside there are divots around the glass to allow aeration while swirling. The Pinot Noir performance glass is my favorite! These also do well in the dishwasher and are pretty sturdy. These glasses are crystal and are made by machine. 

The Best Universal Wine Glasses:

Gabriel-Glas

I love Gabriel Glas! If you’re looking for one glass to use for everything from white wine to red to champagne, Gabriel Glas may be the option for you. Compared to some of the other glasses these are a bit smaller but have a beautiful shape to them – wider at the bottom of the bowl, so still room to get your swirl on! In fact the founder, Rene Gabriel, a Swiss/German wine critic, created these because he couldn’t find a universal glass that he liked. There’s two versions, the Standart glass, which is machine made and more durable, or the mouth-blown Gold Edition, which is very light but also delicate. Both can go in the dishwasher! Also, since I love ya’ll so much – here’s 15% off when you order through here.

Wine Enthusiast Fusion Air

I really love these glasses from Wine Enthusiast – I’ve poured almost every type of wine imaginable and they get the job done, plus they look nice! Bowl isn’t super big, and they’re a bit more up and down – however they have a lifetime warranty, as they’re supposed to be unbreakable. I’ve broken a few, so they do break, but if you keep your warranty paperwork, you can get a new glass in return (up to 10 years)! Dishwasher friendly!

Zalto Universal 

If you want to majorly splurge on a universal glass, that would certainly be a Zalto. It’s very angular and straight up and down – I wish the bowl was a bit rounder. I did however enjoy sipping sparkling, nebbiolo and aromatic whites out of this glass – not as good for big reds in my opinion since there’s not a big swirling space. I do like how light and delicate the glass feels in your hand, as it’s a mouth-blown crystal glass. Can put in dishwasher, but I prefer to hand wash. 

The Best Affordable Wine Glasses:

Crate and Barrel Hip Large Wine Glass

If you’re looking to save some bucks and just want a decent, really big, wine glass, look no further! These are a bit heavier but dang, they’ve got a big bowl. I imagine a whole bottle could fit in here – oh and did I mention they’re only $7!? Dishwasher safe! 

The Best “Fun and Fashionable” Wine Glass:

Good Trouble Glass

If you’ve been on the hunt for a fun and hip wine glass, this is it! These dipped stems make drinking wine even more fun – I’ve been using the light pink and love how feminine it is, but they also have white and black options, with some exciting new colors planned for the future. The bowl is huge and is perfect for swirling those big reds. Good Trouble glasses are hand blown crystal but feel very durable. These would make a great gift. Plus, it’s a small, female owned company! Hand wash only due to the hand dipped bottom. P.S. if you break a glass within the first 180 days of ordering, they’ll replace it for free! 

Well there you have it – the ultimate guide to the best wine glasses. I hope you find something within this list that you like. If you have any questions, drop them in the comment section below. Happy to help! Happy drinking! 

Cheers,

Raquel