It may sound strange, but the glass plays a very important part in the tasting: you could say that, more than in any other situation, the shape really does enhance the content. So, to each wine its glass!
- The Flute: ideal for drinking dry sparkling wine because its elongated shape allows the bubbles to vent (effervescence).
- The Chalice or Goblet: excellent for enjoying sweet sparkling wines.
- The Slender glass: perfect for sapid white wines, young and new red wines, and medium aged red wines.
- The Rounded or Elongated glass: excellent for highlighting the bouquet of sparkling white wines.
- The Slightly Flared glass: born for red wines.
- The Balloon: big and bellied, this glass is only for great red wines, which are austere and well aged.
To conclude our advice relating to glasses, remember that you should NEVER, I repeat NEVER, serve sparkling wine in glasses which have been washed in a dishwasher with anti-foaming agents. The agents coat the glass preventing the bubbles from being released. Merely wash the glasses with warm water and dry them with a cloth.
