Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or you simply enjoy a glass now and then, it helps to know a few things about wine glasses. For not all glasses are created equal. There are different types, each suited to a special purpose, and it pays to know the difference.  Crystal wine glasses are especially beautiful, but it is not just the material they are made from that makes them special, instead the shape of the glasses plays a special role.

Red wine glasses are generally larger and more spherical than their white-wine counterparts. The larger bowl allows more contact between the air and the wine, and this process, called aeration, is essential for red wines to taste their best. (This is what people mean when they talk about letting a wine “breathe.”)

A white wine, however, does not need to breathe. In fact, a white wine is best served in a glass with a slightly tapered mouth; this sort of opening concentrates the wine’s “bouquet” – its nuanced blend of floral and fruit aromas. A white wine glass also has a longer stem than a red wine glass, and for another crucial purpose: to encourage you to hold it. For when you hold your white wine glass the wrong way, by the bowl, the heat from your hand disturbs the wine’s delicate balance of flavors.

As you can see, there is a special logic behind wine glasses, and a special design. Use them properly, and they will help you unlock the greatest flavor from your favorite wine.