Types of Wine Glasses: Chart & Complete Guide

Most people tend to have one type of wine glass in their home. But different types of wine glasses are used for different wines and occasions. Knowing a few common wine glasses types and what they’re used for can really help level up your wine knowledge and—as a bonus—impress your friends.

Maybe you picked up the first set of wine glasses that caught your eye on the store shelf, or perhaps you received a set of stemless glasses as an anniversary gift. No matter how you got your wine glasses, they’re likely your go-to for all wines, whether you’re drinking sparkling, red, or white. Read on to discover why there are so many types of wine glasses and what to use them for.

Do Wine Glasses Make a Difference?

Using the right type of glass can intensify a wine’s aroma and flavor. This can really help wine lovers experience each distinct aroma and flavor that makes the wine taste best, both on its own and when pairing wine with food. And yes, each type of wine has a glass specially tailored to bring out its flavor profile.

Whether you’re looking for the best wine glass for Cabernet Sauvignon or the best all-purpose wine glasses for every occasion, our experts at the The Wine Cellar Group are here to help! Below, we lay out 10 different types of wine glasses to know.

 

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Parts of a Wine Glass

Our wine glass chart below illustrates that a typical wine glass has four key components:

  • The base stabilizes the glass.
  • The stem lengthens the glass, giving wine drinkers a steady grip without elevating the wine temperature or dirtying the bowl with fingerprints.
  • The bowl connects to the stem and is the most crucial feature of the glass—it holds the wine after all! More specifically, the bowl ensures that wine drinkers can comfortably swirl the wine without splashing or spilling.
  • The rim is the top part from which you sip. A general rule of thumb: the thinner the rim, the better. A proper rim ensures you drink wine smoothly without the distraction of an overly thick or rounded rim.

Types of Wine Glasses Chart

Here’s a types of wine glasses chart that shows general types of wine glasses for each wine category.

Chart showing Types of Wine Glasses

Red Wine Glasses

Glasses with a wider opening work great for red wines, rosé or spicy wines.

Sparkling Wine

Long-stemmed wine glasses are typically used for sparkling wine.

White Wine Glasses

Smaller bowl glasses work great for white wines.

Dessert Wine Glasses

Versatile in shape, but typically port glasses and sherry glasses are great choices for dessert wine glasses.

How many different types of wine glasses are there?

Whether you prefer red or white, sparkling or still, there are certain types of glasses that are better suited for particular types of wine. In this article, we’ll cover the most common types of wine glasses, what they’re used for, and why you might want to try a new glass instead of your old standby. These are 10 of the most popular wine glasses.

Cabernet Wine Glass

Cabernet is full-fragrant and full-bodied, exuding dark fruit flavors and savory elements, from bell pepper to black pepper. And it needs a wine glass that keeps pace.

Cabernet wine glasses are known to be the tallest of all red wine glasses—rightfully so. Its structure enhances Cabernet’s bold aroma. With a Cabernet wine glass, you have a wide bowl at the bottom, allowing the wine to breathe, followed by a narrow mouth to gather the aroma.

The best tip for your Cabernet wine glass: don’t over pour. Only pour up to the widest part of the bowl. Although tempting, the smaller the pour, the more fragrant your wine will be. Small sipping portions ensure you experience the full flavor that Cabernet offers. Besides, there’s more than one glass of wine in a standard bottle, so you can always pour another when you’re done with the first.

Sparkling Wine Glass

When it comes to sparkling wine and Champagne glasses, narrow is the way to go.

While wider bowls cause the wine to go flat quickly, sparkling wine glasses are commonly more narrow with long, upright stems to promote carbonation of the wine. With its tall frame and small opening, wine drinkers can enjoy the bubbles on their tongue and fully embrace the sparkling aroma from the first sip to last.

For safe drinking, the sparkling wine glass is accompanied by a wide base to ensure it doesn’t tip over, break, or spill.

sparkling wine glasses

Aerating Wine Glass

Want to ensure your wine is well aerated before indulging?

Try a built-in aerating wine glass. An aerating wine glass can magnify the taste, aroma, and overall quality of your wine. With the help of an aerating glass, you can evaporate the compounds of your wine to soften harsh flavors.

These types of wine glasses can especially be fun if you look for one that combines function and appeal. Keep in mind that not all wines should be aerated. Only younger, bolder red wines will need aerating.

Pinot Noir Wine Glass

The perfect Pinot Noir glass usually falls under a Burgundy glass or aroma collector.

These glasses feature the widest bowl compared to other red and white wine glasses. Its wide bowl greatly enhances Pinot Noir’s aroma. Some glasses will have a flared lip to bring out all sweet, fruity, and crisp flavors to the front of the palate. With its large-bowl structure, you can put your swirl skills to the test without worry about spilling or splashing.

Chardonnay Wine Glass

Much like the shape of a Pinot Noir glass, Chardonnay glasses share a resemblance but are smaller.

Specially crafted for white wine, this glass has more of a “U”-shaped bowl, with a slightly larger opening to push wine to the tip of the tongue instead of the back of the mouth. With this wine glass, you’ll enjoy the tastiness and intensity of Chardonnay.

Port Wine Glass

Port wine glasses are shrunken versions of a typical wine glass. Thinner and smaller, these glasses are an elegant staple, designed to enhance and better display the intricate flavors and aromas of Port wine or sweet dessert wine. They contain a narrow rim and a small bowl. Not to mention, you’ll feel sophisticated while holding it in your hand. When pouring portions, you should only fill wine halfway to enjoy the wine’s aroma fully.

Rosé Wine Glass

To properly Rosé all day, you must have a wine glass with a long stem so that your hand doesn’t raise the wine’s serving temperature.

Rosé glasses can come in a few variations: wine glasses with a short bowl and short taper or wine glasses with a short bowl and flared lip. Diamond-shaped wine glasses are excellent for sipping as well. Whichever type you choose, all glasses make Rosé a delicious and enjoyable experience.

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Best All-Purpose Wine Glasses

Multi-purpose and all-purpose wine glasses are designed for wine drinkers indulging in a bit of everything. Here are excellent all-purpose choices.

Stemless Wine Glass

Stemless glasses have risen in popularity due to their versatility, affordability, and ease. You don’t have to worry about tipping over or breaking your glass, for it doesn’t have a stem. You can drink just about any wine and find them just about everywhere—stemless wine glasses even make a great gift set.

However, with convenience comes consideration: since you hold on to the bottom of the wine glass, you’re likely to warm up wine with hand contact. So if you’re concerned about your wine’s temperature, stemless is probably not your first choice.

stemless wine glasses

Vintage Wine Glass

Okay. So this wine glass may not always intensify or improve your wine flavor or aroma. But you must admit, it does look great.

Vintage wine glasses are perfect for elegant occasions, events, and themed parties. They offer rich characteristics from crystal gold trimmings to rose-pink stems and intricate flower designs. They vary in shape, size, and design, surely elevating any occasion with wine involved.

Balloon Wine Glass

When in doubt, balloon wine glasses are ultra-versatile.

They’re perfect for red wine drinkers primarily because it provides plenty of air to breathe. Its wide opening permits enhanced aromas to escape the glass for white wines. Additionally, balloon wine glasses are user-friendly! Thanks to its long stem, you won’t have to worry about raising the wine temperature with hand contact.

Pair Your Glass With Exquisite Wine

Once you decide on your wine glass, The Wine Cellar Group has it from here. Shop our exceptional collection of quality, boutique-style wines from family-run vineyards all over the world. We provide an excellent assortment of over 500 wines to mix and match. Shop our site to enjoy.

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