Fun Wine Glasses for Casual Enjoyment

Lehmann Glass Oenomust Wine Glass

While they are many, many options to choose from when it comes to selecting a wine glass, for the uninitiated the choices can be daunting if you do not know the different characteristics that wine glasses possess and which are correct for your purposes. The wine glasses featured here are unique and should be considered solely based on their aesthetic appeal. These are not the glasses to pull out when the sommelier you happen to know is coming over for dinner. Rather, they are the glasses you use for a fun lighthearted experience that is more about the company than taking wine tasting to new heights. Although some could definitely be your fancy-pants selection to show off with, these are more likely to be the ones you whip out for a rowdy game night with friends.

Madeline Puckette is a wine expert and certified sommelier with The Court of Master Sommeliers. She started the blog Wine Folly in 2011 with her partner, Justin Hammack, and the two have a book coming out this month, “Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine” (Avery). Puckette explains that the experience of drinking wine from what might be considered the “correct” glass, is really a matter of preference.

“Once you learn how to hold a stemmed glass and feel confident in holding it and drinking out of it, it’s a psychological effect that happens,” says Puckette. “It’s the same way that a stemmed water glass makes you feel classy. You go to a fancy restaurant and they serve you water that’s in a glass, you pick it up by the foot and you have this sort of visceral experience of drinking water. The same thing happens for a wine glass.”

Puckette says that when helping a customer choose the best wine glass, it is important to ask the customer what kind of wine drinker they are. Are they the animated type who likes to talk with their hands and arms? Maybe point them to a glass with a large bowl that will help keep the wine in the glass. Do they like to enjoy their wine outdoors? Suggest a glass that is durable for this setting. Must it be able to go through the dishwasher? Are they drinking with kids and pets around? Suggest a glass that is not delicate and might withstand a tumble or two. Do they drink white, red or sparkling wine? There is a different “proper” glass for each type of wine.

The very basic information you need to know about wine glasses is that white wine typically goes in a smaller glass than red wine. This is because white wine needs to stay cool and the more surface area that’s exposed to the air, the more it will warm up to room temperature. A narrower bell shape on white wine glasses also aides in concentrating the zesty aromas that are commonly found in white wines. Glasses for red wine tend to have a bigger rounder bowl and larger opening that allows for more surface area and collecting more aromas from the wine.

Jackie Wine/Martini Combo Glass from B By Brandie

To enjoy wine at a basic level, Puckette suggests choosing a glass that allows space for the wine plus air. In America, a standard pour of wine is 5 to 6 ounces, while in Europe and Australia they are strict about a 150 milliliter pour, roughly 5 ounces. Puckette says that a 22-ounce glass will usually allow for a nice ratio.

“You need some space. You really need a little space to have aromas collect in the glass and be able to actually put your nose in the glass and smell them. It’s the baby bear effect, too small is bad, too big is bad, but just right is just right,” says Puckette.

The Oenomust wine glass from Lehmann Glass features a wide base that rises to a distinctive bulge where the glass then flows into the rounded and narrower upper part of the bowl. The glass was designed by Gerard Lehmann to enhance the wine-tasting experience through the generous shape of the glass that allows for controlled rotation and oxygenation of the wine without the fear of spillage. Six different Oenomust glasses are available, including a stemless spirits goblet and a flute for sparkling wines. The glasses range in size from 20.6 ounces for a vintage wines glass, to 11.6 ounce for a taster glass. Three different shapes and sizes of carafes are also available as well as a 50-ounce decanter glass. The Oenomust collection has suggested retail prices ranging from $63 to $96 for a set of six glasses.

The Jackie Wine/Martini Combo Glass from B By Brandie is the perfect glass for the hostess who doesn’t know what her guests will end up drinking and wants to be prepared for both a cocktail or wine situation. The glasses feature an 8-ounce wine glass on top and a 4-ounce martini glass on bottom. Simply flip the glass to accommodate either drink. The glass is inspired by and named after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and is made in Poland. A set of two glasses has a suggested retail price of $64.

Saturn Wine Glass from SUPERDUPERSTUDIO

The Saturn Wine Glass from SUPERDUPERSTUDIO is made in California by a duo design team. The glass is shaped by hand before being blown into a mold by glass artisans, it is then cut and polished by hand. These spacey glasses are the reimagination of a traditional Italian glassblowing technique, which the designers appropriated to prevent messy spills and stains. Four years of research and refinement has culminated in the patent-pending Saturn Glasses that are surprisingly light and have a unique shape that makes them perfect for stacking. The glass has a suggested retail price of $52 each.

Oenophilia Wino Sipper

From Oenophilia comes the quirky Wino Sippers. The glasses feature a built-in sipping straw and a sturdy three-point base to prevent tipping. The glasses are just plain fun and something for guests to “ooh” and “ahh” over. They hold a standard 5-ounce pour of wine and are sold as set of two with a suggested retail price of $24. While they may not be the fancy glass for a $50 bottle of wine, they would be just great for making sure you polish off that box of wine with help from the built-in straw. Mini 2.75-ounce Porto Sippers for port are also available in a set of four.

Magisso COOL ID Glass

Magisso’s new COOL ID Glass in a 11.15-ounce size makes the perfect stemless vessel for enjoying wine outdoors. The cup features cooling ceramics that self-cool after being soaked in water for just 60 to 90 seconds. The longer the item sits in the environment the colder it becomes, and the effect lasts for several hours. The exterior is a matte black finish with a white rim. The surface is suitable for writing personal messages in chalk that can be easily wiped off, so you can skip the wine charms. A set of two has a suggested retail price of $40. COOL ID items are also available in a variety of serving pieces and barware, including shot glasses and a tumbler.

This story was originally published in the September 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.