Does the shape of a wine glass really matter?

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different shapes, sizes and styles when it comes to wine glasses? Surely one glass fits all, doesn’t it? Glassware is a much discussed topic. Some experts believe it’s the wine that matters, not the glass. While there is some truth to it, we believe certain shapes do influence your wine tasting experience. Here is a quick run down on how and why the shape of your wine glass matters:

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A wine glass’s shape concentrates the flavours and aromas. This helps to emphasise the grape’s characteristics. It is also supposed to direct the wine to the best area in your mouth. Although questioned by experts, this still makes sense. For example, the shape of a Champagne flute perfectly directs sparkling wine to the tip of your tongue which makes it suitable for sipping. Red wine glasses allow for a fuller tasting experience as the open larger bowl distributes wine in your mouth more.


Oxidation occurs once the wine is exposed in the glass. The oxygen in the air chemically interacts with the wine, subtly altering flavour and aroma. Therefore the larger the glass the more rapid oxidation can occur, changing the wine’s profile. This can be good especially for reds as it can give complex flavours time to settle and be smoothed out - it's why you hear of people letting the wine 'breathe'.


There are multiple reasons for swirling your wine when you taste it. Experts and wine lovers mainly swirl to release a greater amount of volatile compounds - these are the aromas we smell. It also helps to increase the surface area and to draw in oxygen, supporting oxidation to take place. 

The wine tasting experience

Smelling, swirling, sipping and clinking your glasses to say cheers: it’s all about your tasting experience and how you enjoy your wine best. We believe you don’t need more than three different styles: a wide bowl for red, a smaller bowl for white and a Champagne flute for sparkling wine. Although glasses with stems work best (keeps your wine cool and your glass clean) stemless glassware offers is a stylish and easy alternative.

With this in mind, we have recently added a glassware range by Luigi Bormioli, Italy, to our Winestock portfolio. We kept our wine glass range focused but with various design options to cover the basics and cater to different tastes.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your glassware choice with us, please get in touch with us. We would love to help.