Type of glass for drinking wine, most often stemware
Pair of 18th century opaque twist stem glasses
A wine glass is a type of glass that is used for drinking or tastingwine. Most wine glasses are stemware (goblets), composed of three parts: the bowl, stem, and foot. There are a wide variety of slightly different shapes and sizes, some considered especially suitable for particular types of wine.
Some authors recommend one holds the glass by the stem, to avoid warming the wine and smudging the bowl;[1] alternately, for red wine it may be good to add some warmth.
Before "glass" became adopted as a word for a glass drinking vessel, a usage first recorded in English c. 1382, wine was drunk from a wine cup, of which there were a huge variety of shapes over history, in many different materials. Wine cups in precious metals remained in use until the Early Modern period, but as glass got better and cheaper, were generally replaced everywhere except in churches, where chalices are still normally in metal. In wealthy homes in England, glasses replaced silver wine cups of very similar size and shape in the 1600s.[2]
Shapes
Variety of shapes of wine glasses and flutes
The effect of glass shape on the taste of wine has not been demonstrated decisively by any scientific study and remains a matter of debate. One study[3] suggests that the shape of the glass is important, as it concentrates the flavour and aroma (or bouquet) to emphasize the varietal's characteristic. One common belief is that the shape of the glass directs the wine itself into the best area of the mouth for the varietal[4] despite flavour being perceived by olfaction in the upper nasal cavity, not the mouth.[dubious–discuss] The importance of wine glass shape could also be based on false ideas about the arrangement of different taste buds on the tongue, such as the discredited tongue map.[citation needed]
Most wine glasses are stemware, composed of three parts: the bowl, stem, and foot. In some designs, the opening of the glass is narrower than the widest part of the bowl to concentrate the aroma.[1] Others are more open, like inverted cones. In addition, "stemless" wine glasses (tumblers) are available in a variety of sizes and shapes.[5] The latter are typically used more casually than their traditional counterparts.[citation needed]
According to the wine critic for The New York Times, the bowl of the glass should be large enough to generously fill a quarter of the glass, it should be transparent, widest at the base and tapering inward to the rim to channel aromas upward.[6]
A 2015 study by Kohji Mitsubayashi of Tokyo Medical and Dental University and colleagues found that different glass shapes and temperatures can bring out completely different bouquets and finishes from the same wine. The scientists developed a camera system that images ethanol vapor escaping from a wine glass.[7][8][9][10]
Some common types of wine glasses are described below.
Red wine glasses
Glasses for red wine are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, which increases the rate of oxidation.[citation needed] As oxygen from the air chemically interacts with the wine, flavor and aroma are believed to be subtly altered. This process of oxidation is generally considered more compatible with red wines, whose complex flavours are said to be smoothed out after being exposed to air. According to a wine critic for Observer, the wider opening can help enhance wine flavors and evaporate ethanol.[11] Red wine glasses can have particular styles of their own, such as
Bordeaux glass: tall with a broad bowl, and is designed for full bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as it directs wine to the back of the mouth.
Burgundy glass: broader than the Bordeaux glass, it has a bigger bowl to accumulate aromas of more delicate red wines such as Pinot noir. This style of glass directs wine to the tip of the tongue.[citation needed]
White wine glasses
White wine glasses vary enormously in size and shape, from the delicately tapered Champagne flute, to the wide and shallow glasses used to drink Chardonnay. Different shaped glasses are used to accentuate the unique characteristics of different styles of wine. Wide-mouthed glasses function similarly to red wine glasses discussed above, promoting rapid oxidation which alters the flavor of the wine. [citation needed] White wines which are best served slightly oxidized are generally full-flavored wines, such as oaked chardonnay. For lighter, fresher styles of white wine, oxidation is less desirable as it is seen to mask the delicate nuances of the wine. [citation needed] To preserve a crisp, clean flavored wine, many white wine glasses will have a smaller mouth, which reduces surface area and in turn, the rate of oxidization. In the case of sparkling wine, such as Champagne or Asti, an even smaller mouth is used to keep the wine sparkling longer in the glass.
Champagne flutes are characterised by a long stem with a tall, narrow bowl on top. The shape is designed to keep sparkling wine desirable during its consumption. Just as with wine glasses, the flute is designed to be held by the stem to help prevent the heat from the hand from warming the liquid inside. The bowl itself is designed in a manner to help retain the signature carbonation in the beverage. This is achieved by reducing the surface area at the opening of the bowl. Additionally, the flute design adds to the aesthetic appeal of champagne, allowing the bubbles to travel further due to the narrow design, giving a more pleasant visual appeal.
High quality wine glasses once were made of lead glass, which has a higher index of refraction and is heavier than ordinary glass, but health concerns regarding the ingestion of lead resulted in their being replaced by lead-free glass.[12] Wine glasses, with the exception of the hock glass, are generally not coloured or frosted as doing so would diminish appreciation of the wine's colour.[1] There used to be an ISO standard (ISO/PAS IWA 8:2009) for glass clarity and freedom from lead and other heavy metals, but it was withdrawn.[13]
Some producers of high-end wine glasses such as Schott Zwiesel have pioneered methods of infusing titanium into the glass to increase its durability and reduce the likelihood of the glass breaking.[14]
Decoration
Cut glass, engraved glass and enamelled glass techniques have been widely used for wine glasses. In the 18th century, glass makers would draw spiral patterns in the stem as they made the glass. If they used air bubbles it was called an airtwist; if they used threads, either white or coloured, it would be called opaque twist.[15]
Modern functional designs focus on aeration, such as glassmaker Kurt Josef Zalto's Josephinenhütte brand.[16]
ISO wine tasting glass
The International Organization for Standardization has a specification (ISO 3591:1977) for a wine-tasting glass. It consists of a cup (an "elongated egg") supported on a stem resting on a base.
INAO official wine tasting glass.
The glass of reference is the INAO wine glass, a tool defined by specifications of the French Association for Standardization (AFNOR), which was adopted by INAO as the official glass in 1970, received its standard AFNOR in June 1971 and its ISO 3591 standard in 1972.[17] The INAO has not submitted a file at the National Institute of Industrial Property, it is therefore copied en masse and has gradually replaced other tasting glasses in the world.[18]
The glass must be lead crystal (9% lead). Its dimensions give it a total volume between 210 millilitres (mL) and 225 mL, they are defined as follows:
Diameter of the rim: 46mm
Calyx height: 100mm
Height of the foot: 55mm
Shoulder diameter: 65mm
Foot diameter: 9mm
Diameter of the base: 65mm
The opening is narrower than the convex part so as to concentrate the bouquet. The capacity is approximately 215 ml, but it is intended to take a 50 ml pour.[19] Some glasses of a similar shape, but with different capacities, may be loosely referred to as ISO glasses, but they form no part of the ISO specification.
Measures in licensed premises
In the EU, fill lines are legally required on commercial glassware as a consumer protection measure.
In the UK many publicans have moved from serving wine in the standard size of 125mL, towards the larger size of 250mL. A code of practice, introduced in 2010 as an extension to the Licensing Act 2003, contains conditions for the sale of alcohol, including a requirement for customers to be informed that smaller measures are available.[20]
In the United States, most laws governing alcohol exist at the state level. Federal law does not provide any guidance on a standard pour size, but 150 millilitres (5USfloz) is seen as typical for restaurants (one fifth of a standard 750ml wine bottle), and with pour sizes for tastings typically being half as large.[21]
Capacity measure
As a supplemental unit of apothecary measure and as a culinary measurement unit, the wine glass (also known as wineglass, wineglassful (pl. wineglassesful), or cyathus vinarius in pharmaceutical Latin) is defined as 2 US customary fluid ounces[22][23] (1/8 of a US customary pint; about 2·08 British imperial fluid ounces or 59·15mL) in the US and 2 British imperial fluid ounces[24][25] (1/10 of a British imperial pint; about 1·92 US customary fluid ounces or 56·83mL) in the UK. An older version (before c. 1800) was 11/2 fluid ounces.[26] These units bear little relation to the capacity of most contemporary wineglasses (based on 1/6 bottle, or 125mL; about 4·40 British imperial fluid ounces or 4·23 US customary fluid ounces) or to the ancient Roman cyathus (about 45mL, 1·58 British imperial fluid ounces, or 1·52 US customary fluid ounces).
In the UK, the wine glass, the tumbler (10 British imperial fluid ounces),[24][27] the breakfast cup (8 British imperial fluid ounces),[28][29] the cup (6 British imperial fluid ounces),[24] the teacup (5 British imperial fluid ounces),[28] and the coffee cup (21/2 British imperial fluid ounces)[28] are the traditional British equivalents of the US customary cup and the metric cup, used in situations where a US cook would use the US customary cup and a cook using metric units the metric cup. The breakfast cup is the most similar in size to the US customary cup and the metric cup. Which of these six units is used depends on the quantity or volume of the ingredient: there is division of labour between these six units, like the tablespoon and the teaspoon. British cookery books and recipes, especially those from the days before the UK’s partial metrication, commonly use two or more of the aforesaid units simultaneously: for example, the same recipe may call for a ‘tumblerful’ of one ingredient and a ‘wineglassful’ of another one; or a ‘breakfastcupful’ or ‘cupful’ of one ingredient, a ‘teacupful’ of a second one, and a ‘coffeecupful’ of a third one. Unlike the US customary cup and the metric cup, a tumbler, a breakfast cup, a cup, a teacup, a coffee cup, and a wine glass are not measuring cups: they are simply everyday drinking vessels commonly found in British households and typically having the respective aforementioned capacities; due to long‑term and widespread use, they have been transformed into measurement units for cooking. There is not a British imperial unit–based culinary measuring cup.
A tablespoon is a large spoon. In many English-speaking regions, the term now refers to a large spoon used for serving; however, in some regions, it is the largest type of spoon used for eating.
United States customary units form a system of measurement units commonly used in the United States and most U.S. territories since being standardized and adopted in 1832. The United States customary system developed from English units that were in use in the British Empire before the U.S. became an independent country. The United Kingdom's system of measures evolved by 1824 to create the imperial system, which was officially adopted in 1826, changing the definitions of some of its units. Consequently, while many U.S. units are essentially similar to their imperial counterparts, there are noticeable differences between the systems.
In recipes, quantities of ingredients may be specified by mass, by volume, or by count.
The pint is a unit of volume or capacity in both the imperial and United States customary measurement systems. In both of those systems it is traditionally one eighth of a gallon. The British imperial pint is about 20% larger than the American pint because the two systems are defined differently. Almost all other countries have standardized on the metric system, so although some of them still also have traditional units called pints, the volume varies by regional custom.
The minim is a unit of volume in both the imperial and U.S. customary systems of measurement. Specifically, in the imperial system, it is 1⁄60 of an imperial fluid drachm or 1⁄480 of an imperial fluid ounce; in the U.S. customary system, it is 1⁄60 of a US customary fluid dram or 1⁄480 of a US customary fluid ounce.
A shot glass is a glass originally designed to hold or measure spirits or liquor, which is either imbibed straight from the glass or poured into a cocktail. An alcoholic beverage served in a shot glass and typically consumed quickly, in one gulp, may also be known as a "shooter" or “shot”.
A dessert spoon is a spoon designed specifically for eating dessert. Similar in size to a soup spoon but with an oval rather than round bowl, it typically has a capacity around twice that of a teaspoon.
Stemware is drinkware where the bowl stands on a stem above a foot. It is usually made from glass, but may be made from ceramics or metals. The stemware is intended for cool beverages, like water or wine. The stem allows the drinker to hold the glass without affecting the temperature of the drink. The snifters represent an exception, as they are designed to hold the bowl in a cup of the hand to warm up the beverage.
Metrication in Canada began in 1970 and ceased in 1985. While Canada has converted to the metric system for many purposes, there is still significant use of non-metric units and standards in many sectors of the Canadian economy and everyday life. This is mainly due to historical ties with the United Kingdom, the traditional use of the imperial system of measurement in Canada, interdependent supply chains with the United States, and opposition to metrication during the transition period.
The cup is a cooking measure of volume, commonly associated with cooking and serving sizes. In the US, it is traditionally equal to one-half US pint (236.6 ml). Because actual drinking cups may differ greatly from the size of this unit, standard measuring cups may be used, with a metric cup commonly being rounded up to 240 millilitres, but 250 ml is also used depending on the measuring scale.
Both the British imperial measurement system and United States customary systems of measurement derive from earlier English unit systems used prior to 1824 that were the result of a combination of the local Anglo-Saxon units inherited from Germanic tribes and Roman units.
Alcohol measurements are units of measurement for determining amounts of beverage alcohol. Alcohol concentration in beverages is commonly expressed as alcohol by volume (ABV), ranging from less than 0.1% in fruit juices to up to 98% in rare cases of spirits. A "standard drink" is used globally to quantify alcohol intake, though its definition varies widely by country. Serving sizes of alcoholic beverages also vary by country.
Beer glassware comprise vessels, today usually made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of beer glasses vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and fill lines; such practicalities as breakage avoidance in washing, stacking or storage; commercial promotion by breweries; artistic or cultural expression in folk art or as novelty items or usage in drinking games; or to complement, to enhance, or to otherwise affect a particular type of beer's temperature, appearance and aroma, as in the case of its head. Drinking vessels intended for beer are made from a variety of materials other than glass, including pottery, pewter, and wood.
A champagne glass is stemware designed for champagne and other sparkling wines. The two most common forms are the flute and coupe, both stemmed; holding the glass by the stem prevents warming the drink. Champagne can also be drunk from a normal wine glass, which allows better appreciation of the flavor, at the expense of accentuating the bubbles less.
Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onward. Modern, professional wine tasters use a constantly evolving specialized terminology which is used to describe the range of perceived flavors, aromas and general characteristics of a wine. More informal, recreational tasting may use similar terminology, usually involving a much less analytical process for a more general, personal appreciation.
A tumbler is a flat-floored beverage container usually made of plastic, glass or stainless steel.
The breakfast cup is a culinary measurement unit in the United Kingdom. It is named after a cup for drinking tea or coffee while eating breakfast. 1 breakfast cup is 8 British imperial fluid ounces.
The teacup is a culinary measurement unit in the United Kingdom. It is named after a typical teacup. 1 teacup is 5 British imperial fluid ounces.
The coffee cup is a culinary measurement unit in the United Kingdom. It is named after a small cup for serving after‑dinner coffee. 1 coffee cup is 21/2 British imperial fluid ounces.
↑ English, Irish, & Scottish Silver at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, p. 64, 1997, Hudson Hills Press, ISBN 9781555951177, google preview
↑ Le verre et le vin de la cave à la table du |XVII à nos jours (Glass and Wine from the Cellar to the Table from the 17th century to the Present) Christophe Bouneau, Michel Figeac, 2007. Centre d'études des mondes moderne et contemporain. In French
↑ "ISO 3591:1977". ISO.org. Retrieved 9 February 2012. (payment required)
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