Wine glass sillyness
Wine and glassware.
Here are my two cents on the topic.
- Finding the right wine glass is important for your perception of the wine.
but
- The idea that different wine types require different glass types was mainly invented by glass manufacturers.
and
- Certain easily manipulated subgroups of the wine society have jumped in with both feet, acting as powerful leverage for those glass manufacturers.
certainly
- The theoretical evidence supports the claim that the general shape of the glass matters.
however
- Practical (actually confirmed by human tasters) evidence that certain wine styles require specific glassware is very, very limited.*
that said
- The placebo effects in this field are obviously enormous. Which makes dismissing the "glass effect" altogether seem like a bad idea.
My personal preferences?
Glad you asked. I prefer to drink from a tulip-shaped glass that is lightweight but still robust enough that I don't have to worry about breaking it. I like a relatively small glass, similar to the ones you get at wine fairs. I prefer using the same type of glass most of the time, as it helps me get familiar with its weight and "behavior." My glass should be clean — no greasy fingerprints on the bowl.
But - if all I have is a spotty plastic water glass, I'd rather use that than go without wine.
*In 2002 a study by Jeannine Delwiche and Marcia Pelchat was published in "Journal of Sensory Studies". Their findings offered little support to the claims that the type of glassware makes a significant difference to the non-expert taster. The only minor difference noted was a reduced aroma intensity in taller glasses. Despite these findings, Riedel selectively used parts of the study to support their claims about the relevance of their large selection of glasses.