What the bowl does
Most of what we call taste is actually smell. A wine glass with a wide bowl and a narrower opening gives the wine room to release aromas and then concentrates them toward your nose. Studies that measure the vapor above the wine show that bowl shape really does change how aroma compounds collect in the glass.
That is why you swirl: it increases the surface of the wine and releases more aroma. A glass that is too small or too straight makes that difficult.
The rim and the stem
A thin rim lets the wine flow onto your palate without a thick edge getting in the way, and it simply feels more elegant. A stem keeps your hand away from the bowl, so the wine does not warm up and the glass stays clear.
One popular idea is a myth, though: there is no “tongue map” with separate zones for sweet, sour and bitter. A glass cannot steer wine to one part of the tongue to make it taste sweeter.
Handmade versus machine-made
Machine-made glasses are consistent and affordable. Handblown glasses can be made thinner and lighter, with finer stems and very precise shapes. The glassblower gathers molten glass, blows the bowl, pulls the stem and finishes the rim by hand, and every glass is slightly unique.
In the How It’s Made episode about glass, WineMasters visits Hans Denk, who devoted his life to creating the perfect wine glass, and asks whether these masterpieces truly make a difference.
Do you need a different glass for every wine?
Many experts today prefer one good all-round glass with a generous bowl and a thin rim. Specific shapes for Burgundy, Bordeaux or Champagne can show nuances, but the biggest step is from a thick, small glass to a good, thin, tulip-shaped one.
Whatever you choose, keep it clean and free of detergent smells, and fill it no more than a third so there is room to swirl.
Watch the episode · 35 min
How It's Made: Glass
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Watch the episodeFrequently asked questions
Does the shape of a wine glass change the taste?
It changes how aromas collect and reach your nose, and how the wine feels on your lips, so it can change your impression of the wine.
Is crystal better than glass?
Crystal and modern lead-free crystal glass can be made thinner and stronger, which gives a finer rim. The shape matters more than the material.
What is the best all-round wine glass?
A glass with a generous, tulip-shaped bowl, a thin rim and a long stem works well for most red, white and sparkling wines.