Sommeliers say “each wine – my glass”, and in manufacturers ‘ catalogs – dozens of shapes and sizes at prices, sometimes causing shock. How it works, not make a fool of us marketers, and what glasses to buy a home?
Let’s see:
- What do you mean “correct” glass
- Why good glass is not good
- How to choose a glass for yourself
- How to hold a drink in my hand
For those who are too lazy to figure out the end of the article summary.
Why is the shape of the glass?
In the case of physico-chemical processes of wine and human physiology.
From the receptors
The perception of wine, in addition to price and company in which you drink, is formed by two main factors: the taste and aroma. With approximately 90% of the experience is the aroma. After only 4 tastes: sour, sweet, bitter, salty (plus the “astringent taste” of tannins). And smells of thousands, and the range of emotions that they cause, is incomparably wider.
From the shape of the glass depends on the nature and intensity of the attack on our taste buds: if bottled, the wine is immediately in the mouth, washing a language, or ripples on its tip; helps whether big or small throats. The size of the bowl, moreover, affects the pace of drinking. The pace and volume of SIPS, in turn, affect the so-called retronasal the perception of flavor – such a smell, that only works after a SIP, in contrast to the simple inhaling from a glass.
From the wine
The shape and size of the bowl of the glass affect the following:
Depending on the set of aromatic compounds in a particular wine (their number, volatility, thresholds of human perception) can form a different “picture” the scent of the same wine, drinking from different glasses.
From the manufacturers of glasses
From representatives of the largest producer of glasses, Riedel and sommelier who attended their presentations, usually sounds such a story.
“The human tongue is covered with taste buds unevenly. In different areas of language predominate receptors of a certain type: perceiving sour, bitter, sweet and salty. Conventionally, the map of flavors in our language taken to draw this:
The language centre has a minimum sensitivity to the tastes at all.
Accents of flavors, so you can arrange, by changing the shape and size of the bowl. If the shape of the glass with the correct “handles” its fragrance (desired bouquet reveals, unnecessary quench), you can pick up the perfect shape of glass for every wine.”
This is a short.
I was on such presentations, and these arguments, supported by comparative tastings, it seemed quite convincing.
However…
Since, as Claus Riedel first presented the wine glass is based on these points, there have been a number of studies that seemed to refute the foundations of his business. For example:
- Journal of Wine Research
- Journal of Sensory Studies
On the web Dating militant critics of the idea that the glass is important. Like many in the wine world, these disputes are almost religious in nature.
Who to believe?
Yourself. Take a couple of brighter wines (red and white, preferably dry), pour them in glasses that are at hand, including vodka shot champagne flute, kremanku martinis and something big bellied and comparative tasting. Pour into a pot-bellied wine glasses should be below the level of the widest part.
If will not feel the difference – welcome to the ranks of the skeptics, and may not read further – the dishes in your cupboard already enough for any meal.
If the difference for you is obvious – you with me in the ranks of those who appreciate the role of the glass.
And what to do with revelations? Read them personally, and carefully. In order to understand what aspects of the assessment of the bouquet were investigated and what conclusions can be drawn.
Why restaurant wine is not good?
It’s about when you drink a familiar wine in the restaurant, which obviously is good but you don’t like. Lowering the defect cases of wine and your bad mood, what’s wrong can be with glasses?
A restaurant or wine bar is not able to hold a range of glasses ideal for each position in the wine list. In establishments normally this set: a glass for white, a glass of red, glass of sparkling wine, a glass under the mount (not always).
The choice of dishes school sometimes dictated by fashion, promotional activity of manufacturers and just consideration “cool looks”. This often leads to the fact that “universal glasses” are not suitable the greater part of the wine list, nullifying all of its advantages. Alas, very often in the Moscow wine bar want to come back with his utensils, and sit in the local cacti.
What glasses to buy a home?
Leaving the debate about the scientific side, it remains aesthetics and price. If this is your first conscious purchase of wine glasses, it makes no sense to spend money on expensive branded items fragile stem under very specific types of wine.
Starter set make up of 5 basic types, choosing a comfortable price.
A glass of red wine type, Bordeaux
Is suitable for the rich wines of the varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (the main red wines of the Bordeaux region) and close to the nature.
A glass of red wine such as Burgundy
Is suitable for fine wines from Pinot Noir (the main red wines of Burgundy) and similar in nature.
A glass of white wine
White wine should not be heated before it is consumed. So the portions are smaller and fill more often.
Glass “flute” for sparkling
Cm. shape of champagne glasses
Glass of fortified wines and distillates
As soon as your insistence to the shades of the bouquet will grow (along with the understanding of the role of glass in its erection), it will be possible to look in the direction of the specialized manufacturers of wine glasses and their specific proposals.
Willingness to pay for aesthetics – sculpted legs, slim edges, tint glass and the weight distribution in the hand is more a matter of taste and opinion, than the disclosure of the wine in the glass.
How to choose a glass for wine?
Opening a new bottle of wine for you, taste it slowly from all the major glasses that you have (see above). What is tastier – and from the finish remaining.
Remember (write down) your choice for the class and region, to then immediately pour this wine at the optimum glass.
It is important
All varieties of glasses of the type “Bordeaux” and “Burgundy”, ie, having expansion and contraction, the wine is poured to a level not above the widest part. Best 23 to that level.
My personal experience shows that to focus on other people’s advice on choosing glass for a specific wine is almost pointless. The General rule is full of exceptions, and private tastes are too different. Over time, develops its own map preferences for couples a glass of wine, which you can stick poking a pitchfork in dissent.