So you drink fine wine, but are you getting the best from your chosen bottle? There are many factors that can affect our enjoyment of wine -- the food we are eating at the time, our general well being, or the readiness of our taste buds for example. Another major factor is the wine glass from which we drink. Our enjoyment of wine will vary considerably depending on the wine glasses we use. Pick the wrong type of wine glass, and we may not appreciate just how good that expensive bottle of 1996 Brunello really is.
 

Elegant wine glassware of the right design and materials can bring out the best a wine can offer. But elegance doesn't have to mean fragile. There is a range of crystal glassware that provides elegance and strength. The range is Schott Zwiesel, and the material is Tritan. Essentially Wine is proud to announce that we stock the Schott Zwiesel range of glasses.

TRITAN®

By introducing new materials and a unique manufacturing process, Schott Zwiesel has created a breakthrough in the strength of crystal glass. As a result, the wine glasses are reassuringly more durable and accident proof. That's great news if you have kids in the house.

There many styles of glassware in the Schott Zwiesel range from which to choose.  We offer the entire range of Schott Zwiesel products, so I'm sure you'll find something to fit your requirements. We stock the Enoteca, Carat, Fino, Ballerina, and Diva ranges amongst others. Prices start from £18 per pair. All Schott Zwiesel glasses are made using Tritan and all are dishwasher safe.
We also sell additional glassware from the Schott Zwiesel collection -- including candle holders, wind lights, Vases, Bowls & Plates, and Bar ware.

How to Select the Right Glass

The enjoyment of wine comes primarily from its colour, smell, taste, and texture.  To maximise our enjoyment it is vital to use the correct glass for the wine being enjoyed.  While some principles apply equally to both red and white wine glasses, there are some that differ. 

The first principle that applies to both red and white wine glasses is that a good wine glass should be pure and transparent in order that the wine’s colour can be fully appreciated.

Secondly, the length of the bowl of the glass should be tapered such that the wines aromas are directed to the nose when inhaling.  The base of the bowl should be sufficiently rounded to enable the user to swirl the wine around the bowl of the glass in order to oxygenate the wine with the air and to release the wine’s aromas.

Next, the rim of the glass must be thin to the point that one hardly notices its presence when drinking.  This allows the wine connoisseur to fully appreciate the texture of the wine as it touches the lips and tongue.  The stem of the glass should be slim and easy to handle so that the wine can be gently swirled around the glass to free its aromas. 

Finally, the stem should be long enough to avoid warming the wine with the hand.

In general terms, white wine glasses are smaller than red wine glasses.  The main reason for this has to do with wine serving temperature – although, whether or not a wine needs to breathe also plays a pivotal role.  White wine should be poured in smaller servings than red, because wine quickly warms up once poured into a glass, and naturally white wine should be served chilled to varying degrees.

Red wines that are either high in tannin, or alcohol, and/or are full-bodied, should be served in larger glasses than those that normally require less oxygen exposure such as Beaujolais and other lighter wines. 

The rest is down to personal taste.