How to choose the right wine glass

The glass for red wine is a vitally important tool in tasting, because it will reveal its personality, enhancing or diminishing both its virtues and defects. The amount of oxygen that reaches it and the way in which it releases the volatile compounds that we will perceive in our nose, and how the wine reaches our mouth, depends on the shape and quality of the wine glasses, maximizing or minimizing the retronasal aromas.

Best wine glasses for tasting

The glass, if it has good quality, must be made of glass and must not be too thick. It is made up of the ball (where we pour the wine), the stem (where we usually or should grab it) and the foot. We should never hold the wine glass by the ball, unless it is excessively cold and we want to warm it with our hands.

The stem and foot design have a more aesthetic meaning, while the ball will be decisive in the expressiveness of the wine. In fact, the manufacturers of the best wine glasses design a different model of ball depending on the type of wine that will be served inside it. For this reason, we can find, among others, glasses for white wine or for red wine.

The diversity in the shapes of the balls has been developed by the manufacturers, with the help of sommeliers and blind tasting technicians. Thus, we can find glasses with variety names, such as the bordeaux or burgundy glasses. As you know, there are grape varieties that are affected differently by oxygen. Some of them are very sensitive to oxidation, such as Garnacha, and others, such as Tempranillo or Syrah that are more resistant or even need a minimum contribution so as not to generate reduction aromas. Depending on this behavior, the glasses in which they are served will be different.

Different glasses can cause different expressions of the same wine. At an event with our importer in Mexico, we tasted one of our wines in 5 different glasses from a well-known leading manufacturer in the wine glass sector. The expressiveness the wine glasses varied from one glass to another, from some of them where wood was more prevalent to others where alcohol was more present. Finally, the wine glass called “Tempranillo” showed a more balanced and expressive wine than the rest.

In which glass should we taste the wines from Resalte?

Our wines are characterized by great clarity and complexity on the nose, and the type of red wine glass that we choose will allow us to enjoy its great potential. In addition, the Tempranillo grape, the local variety that we use in all our wines, benefits from a good oxygenation so that it can express all its complexity.

 

Because of this, we recommend a glass size with a large balloon of at least 500-700 ml, where the wine can be well oxygenated. In wine glasses which are taller than wide with a slightly closed top, we can channel all the aromas correctly towards the nose and thus be able to perceive them better.

Red wine serving temperature

Our recommendation is that the ideal temperature of the wine at the time of serving is adequate for its nuances. In the case of Resalte wines, the temperature of the wine in a ready-to-drink wine cellar would be as follows:

• • Resalte Vendimia Seleccionada: from 12° to 14 ° C., although this is a very versatile wine, so it can be served even colder in summer.
  • Resalte Origen: from 14° to 16 ° C.
  • Resalte Expresión: from 15° to 17 ° C. Previously evaluating its decantation.
  • Gran Resalte y Essences: de 16° a 18 ° C. Previously evaluating its decantation.

What is the ideal temperature for a red wine?

The storage temperature for red wine is between 12 and 14 ºC, constant and at a medium-high humidity. To serve better wine glasses, we must bear in mind that the room temperature at home will be, surely, exceeding 21 ºC. Therefore, at the time of serving, we will check that the wine will warm up as soon as it comes into contact with the glass.

 

If, for instance, we want to drink the Vendimia Seleccionada  at the ideal temperature of 12 ºC, it would be convenient to take it out 15 minutes before, so that it can be tasted correctly later. Especially if it is summertime and we fancy  a wine with a particularly refreshing touch.

To taste wines such as Gran Resalte and Essences, we recommend take the bottle out of the refrigerator 15 or 20 minutes before uncorking and tasting them. Thus, they will reach the appropriate temperature and we can assess whether they need a decantation.
These tips for serving a glass of wine will make you enjoy our wines even more. We remind you that you can consult any questions in the “Ask the winemaker” section on our website.

Enrique Andrades
Technical Director

Bodegas Resalte