Aromas in wine are sometimes a shy species. They often only show the "tip of the iceberg" when they dance filigree, multilayered and expressive in front of our nose and tickle our palate. Without the right glass, an important part of a wine's wealth of aromas remains undiscovered or is lost on the route between the glass and the palate.

It is the task of the glass to spur the aromas in the wine on to virtuoso performance, to fine-tune them and direct their notes into the "right channels" so that the full bouquet can develop in the glass and on the palate. Theories about the glass are as varied as philosophies about wine. But one should distinguish between generally valid rules and theories based on preferences and perhaps also personal experience. Basically, a wine glass should meet the following requirements:

• Crystal clear - only a clear transparent wine glass is able to reflect the clarity and brilliance of a wine. No scrollwork, ornamentation or engravings should be used.

• Wafer-thin - Of course, this is a relative term. Experts consider a thin glass to be objectively more enjoyable to drink in, as contact with the wine is more immediate. The temperature of the wine is also less affected by a thin glass.

• Long-handled - The stem should be long enough so that you can easily hold the glass with your index, middle finger and thumb. This prevents your hand from warming the wine and your smell from influencing the perception of the wine aromas. There are also no unsightly tap marks on the goblet and the visual enjoyment is thus undiminished.

• Clean - Dishwashing detergent residues, chlorine and possibly a residual cupboard smell - these odours quickly combine with the wine aromas and should therefore be avoided at all costs. If in doubt, rinse the glass with a sip of wine from the bottle. This neutralises any undesirable notes.

If these rules are fulfilled, a good starting position is achieved. All other demands on the glass in terms of shape and size are more a question of aesthetics and philosophy.

Source:DWI