Does the glass matter?

I will answer this question in a straightforward way: yes. And I will try to explain why.

A wine glass consists of a base, a stem and a bowl. Its shape, size and thickness can differ considerably depending on the manufacturer and the intended use. Each of these elements can contribute to how a wine expresses itself: aromatically, structurally and texturally.

Wine schools training future sommeliers dedicate time to teaching students about the impact different glasses can have on different wines. All styles of wine are tasted, from sparkling wines to whites, reds and rosés, as well as sweet and fortified wines. Students taste the same wines from different glasses and learn to identify which combinations allow each wine to express itself at its best.

Glass manufacturers, too, have invested an incredible amount of effort, time and resources, both human and financial, in designing glasses for different styles of wine.

One brand that immediately comes to mind is Riedel, firmly established among sommeliers worldwide and offering an extensive range of glasses for virtually every type of wine. They have even designed a glass specifically for Coca-Cola.

Then there is Zalto, known for its extraordinarily light and thin glasses, which have been used in restaurants such as The French Laundry in California, Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernardin in New York. Both Riedel and Zalto are Austrian companies.

Other prestigious manufacturers include Baccarat in France, whose glassware has been used by Anne-Sophie Pic at her three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Valence, south of Lyon. It is also worth mentioning Austria’s J. & L. Lobmeyr and Lalique, based in Alsace, France, with its strong presence in luxury interiors and high-end hospitality.

When you are a guest indulging in a high-end restaurant experience, glassware is something you inevitably notice. Of course, the wine list, its structure, depth and harmony with the identity and positioning of the restaurant, is essential. But even the finest wines cannot be fully appreciated if the proper tools, including the glass, are not there to serve them.

I remember a particularly memorable moment with Philippe Faure-Brac at his restaurant, Bistrot du Sommelier, in Paris several years ago. Philippe won the title of World’s Best Sommelier in 1992.

We were discussing his philosophy of wine and the way he advised his guests on what to drink. His approach was fascinating: in his restaurant, the guest could choose the wine first and the kitchen would then create the pairing, rather than the other way around.

During our conversation, he shared an anecdote that ultimately led him to think about the importance of the glass when tasting wine.

One day, he asked a group of guests for their impressions of a particular wine. They were all drinking exactly the same wine, yet their descriptions were remarkably different, almost as though they had been tasting different bottles.

Philippe began observing them more closely and noticed something interesting: they were not holding their glasses in the same way. Some held the glass by its base, others by the stem and others by the bowl.

Curious, he tasted the wine himself while holding the glass in each of these different ways. He found that the way the glass was held changed how the wine entered and spread across the mouth, altering his perception of it. For Philippe, holding the glass by the stem produced the best tasting experience.

Whether one agrees that this alone explains the differences in perception, the story illustrates something important: tasting wine is not simply about what is inside the bottle. The vessel, the temperature, the aromas and even the physical act of drinking all influence the experience.

So, as we can see, it is not only the shape, size and thickness of the glass that matter. The way we hold it, bring it to our nose and allow the wine to enter the mouth can also influence how we perceive what is in front of us.

All of these details contribute to the tasting experience.

And there is one final dimension that should not be underestimated: beauty.

A wine glass is not merely a tool. Its proportions, weight, transparency and elegance become part of the ritual. The right glass frames the wine before we have even tasted it.

So, does the glass matter?

Absolutely.

Because drinking wine is not only about taste. It is an experience of aroma, texture, movement, perception and aesthetics. And sometimes, the difference between simply drinking a wine and truly experiencing it begins with the glass in your hand.