To every wine its cup
In case the eye is not satisfied, it will be difficult for the nose and the palate to be satisfied as well. Therefore, we would like to say a few words about this essential fact, that is the choice of the right glass in order to appreciate the nectar we pour from the bottle.
What is it made of?
Material is, together with width, or better to say width, the most important factor when choosing the glass we will use for our wines. Always crystal, the finer it is, the better, because that is how we appreciate wine. There are wines that taste better in the cup or, in dialect, in the "Tazzin" or in the "boccalino", but it is undoubtedly a sentimental matter related to tradition.
The color of the goblet or rather the lack of it
The glass must always be transparent in order to enjoy the wine to the fullest. Wine, as already explained, is also about sight and smell. In case the nuances of a wine are to be appreciated, it is therefore necessary the total transparency of the crystal which will help the understanding.
The size of the glass
It is certainly not the same to drink wine in a glass having a width of 4 cm (4 inches) as opposed to one having a width of 8 cm (8 inches). Goblet's width determines oxygenation and therefore helps wine to open and to spread all its aromas. After years of experience made in the field, receiving in our winery more than 10,000 people every year for tastings and participating in countless exhibitions, we have understood that a wide glass helps any wine to express itself better and in a faster way.
The height of the glass
The glass must be at least 20 cm tall or even taller. At the moment of turning the glass in order to oxygenate it, the height of the glass helps us to understand the consistency of the nectar thanks to the vibrations emanated by the crystal which communicates through the fingers the unctuousness of the wine by determining its concentration and structure.
Why turn wine in the glass?
Wine is a living being enclosed in a bottle with very little oxygen except for the one allowed by the cork or by modern technical stoppers, which can determine the quantity of oxygen in time in a precise and guaranteed way. Wine, when it is opened, needs to breathe. That is why it should be turned in the glass, by holding it by its stem in order not to warm it up, in order to make it come back to life and reveal all its expression.
How to hold the chalice
The chalice should always be held by the foot. In case it is held by the body, wine will get warm and unpleasing. By holding it by the foot it will promote the awakening and the development of aromas.
To every wine its glass!
The type of glass varies according to the type of wine: sparkling, white, red, sweet, as well as making a distinction between young white wines and more complex whites, simple reds and vintage reds and so on.
Generally speaking, here are some advices in order not to make mistakes in the shape of your glass:
Young white wines having a delicate bouquet: the most suitable ones are glasses having a reduced volume in order not to disperse the bouquet. Better the ones with a flared rim in order to favor the perception of fruity aromas and to allow the full introduction of the wine in the mouth in order to perceive its sweetness and acidity.
Full bodied and ripe white wines having an intense bouquet as well as rose wines: prefer tulip shaped glasses whose shape allows the analysis of complex aromas and the introduction of wine in the mouth towards the bottom of the tongue, where bitterness is perceived, and to the sides, where acidity is perceived.
The Goblet for White Carat, wide enough to allow the delicate aromas of sweet flowers, vanilla and coconut to develop.
Young red wines: medium size glasses.
Full bodied and mature red wines: wide and bulging glasses, whose wide opening allows a better oxygenation of the wine while exalting its olfactory perception.
Wide Goblet for Carato Riserva, ideal size in order to allow the wine to release all its strength and its balsamic scents of ripe fruit, leather, eucalyptus and tobacco.
Full bodied and very mature red wines: ballon glasses in order to promote the oxygenation and the development of complex aromas.
Classic method sparkling wines and champagnes: long flûtes in order to better concentrate aromas and to keep perlage longer.
The flûte of Noir, large and important to exalt this sparkling wine with its citrus scents and delicate yeasts.
Charmant method dry sparkling wines or proseccos: half flûtes.
Sweet sparkling wines: serve in cups in order to allow the best expression of aromas.
Sweet wines: small and regular shaped glasses.
By following these little rules we make sure the nectar we drink enjoys the ideal conditions for its development. If we add a couple of other tricks to these rules, we can say we have the perfect glass.
Proper Temperatures
The serving temperature of wine is very important and plays a fundamental role in the tasting. An important red wine should be served at a temperature between 17 and 18°c. White wine must be cooler but not frozen, otherwise it will kill the taste. The ideal temperature for tasting is around 9 - 10° C. In case the white wine is aged in barriques, it is better if it is warmed and tasted at 11-12° C (11-12° F). Sparkling wine and Champagne must be served chilled at 5-7° C (41-86° F) and they need a flûtes, better if a little wide, as mentioned before, but not too wide in order not to let perlage vanish. The flûte must always be dry and never passed with ice, otherwise bubbles will disappear.
A crystal goblet helps the development of wine, it exalts its peculiarities for better and for worse and therefore helps us to better individuate its quality.
Cheers!
Edited by Enrico Grisetti