Apartment Therapy

Best Wine Glasses 2008

I have, over time, become a bit of a wine glass snob. I can't drink wine out of a jelly jar anymore and enjoy it (unless I'm at a picnic or camping!). I've come to prefer the thin glass lip of real wine glass, along with the rounded bowl that allows you to smell the wine before you drink it (which is 1/2 the experience, I've also learned. Did you know that if you pinch your nose while drinking wine, you can't tell the difference between white and red?).

I am not (yet) the type of snob that requires a certain type of wine glass with my Pinot Noir and another glass for my Cabernet. I have only two kinds of glasses in our our house: one for white and one for reds, and when space doesn't allow for this, I recommend a well shaped white wine glass for everything.

Rule #1:
• Buy crystal glasses. Don't mess with pure glass.
Rule #2:
• Ikea glasses are lovely and cheap but they always break.
Rule #3:
• Don't buy decorative glasses or crazy shapes. It's not about the glass; it's about the wine.

Following is my short list of great, recommended glasses and makers. What I've found is pretty simple and hasn't changed too much over the years, and if you're stocking your kitchen for the holidays, these recommendations can really help you out. Got your own? Email me at maxwell @ apartmenttherapy.com and put WINE in the subject header. I'll check your recommendation out and add it to this post when it goes live later this week.

Top Picks:

> > Spiegelau Authentis Wine Glasses - These guys are just as good as the market leader - Riedel - but they are cheaper.

> > Reidel Vinum Wine Glasses - These are great, but get pricey.

> > Riedel "O" Series Wine Glasses - I love these and now use them at home for everything. Small, because they have no stem, and lovely to drink out of, if you only have room for one wine glass, just get a white wine version of these. They're cheaper too.

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