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Learning the types of wine glasses is something every wine lover, wine bar manager, and restaurant or bar owner benefits from. Serving wine in the right glass not only looks good for the customer experience, it also enhances different wine flavors.
Knowing your types of wine glasses comes in handy in restaurant management. It's especially helpful in restaurant automation with having a set plan for wine glasses you need in stock. Read on to learn why there are different types of wine glasses, and how many types there are.
Why Are There Different Types of Wine Glasses?
The different types of wine glasses are made to enhance the flavor and enjoyable nature of the wines they’re made for. The variety of red wine glasses, for example, are typically larger and have a wider opening to allow the wine to breathe. White wine glasses are narrow to sharpen the bouquet. The types of wine glasses are made to add to the experience of drinking wine.
15 Different Types of Wine Glasses
These 15 different types of wine glasses range in differences. Some are made for a specific type of wine. Others are made to be unique for a range of wines in a similar family. You don’t need all of these in your collection. As a restaurant, bar business, or even at home, you’ll benefit from having a few of these options.
15. Cabernet Glasses
Cabernet glasses are one of the tallest of all the red wine glasses. They’re designed to intensify the scent of the wine, which is often bold for red wines. A cabernet glass is meant to be filled, but not over-filled, to allow room for the wine to breathe.
14. Burgundy Glasses
Burgundy glasses, often stemmed, are a short and wide-bowled glass. This unique shape is designed to fully enhance the intense body of a burgundy wine. The semi-wide mouth of a burgundy glass serves to further showcase the body of the wine.
13. Bordeaux Glasses
Bordeaux glasses are the tallest of the red wine glasses, but also one of the most narrow options. Their bowl is slightly smaller than a cabernet glass, but the goal is similar between the two. A bordeaux glass is specifically designed to enhance the rich bordeaux wine.
12. Zinfandel Glasses
Zinfandel glasses are slightly shorter than bordeaux glasses, with a slightly wider rim and a somewhat narrow bowl. Zinfandel is a lighter red wine, so the narrow, but still aerator-based bowl shape is perfect for the wine type.
11. Pinot Noir Glasses
Pinot Noir glasses have the widest bowl of all the types of wine glasses designed for red wine. With a wide bowl and a narrow mouth, these glasses are built for the wine tasting process of swirling your wine.
10. Rosé Glasses
Rosé glasses have a wide bowl, a wide mouth, and an especially long stem. Since rosé is meant to be enjoyed chilled, the long stem of the glass keeps the heat from your hand from warming the wine.
9. Chardonnay Glasses
Chardonnay glasses are one of the classic types of white wine glasses. They have the classic U shape that characterizes white wine glasses, with a wide bowl that allows the character of chardonnay to shine.
8. Viognier Glasses
Viognier glasses are characterized by a somewhat small bowl and a narrow mouth. Viognier wine benefits from a narrow glass that won’t allow much air to come through. This size lets the wine maintain its flavor and bouquet.
7. Sparkling Wine Glasses
Sparkling wine glasses are similar to a flute glass, but they’re slightly wider and larger all around. They’re designed to allow the carbonation to fill the glass but remain bubbly, so your sparkling wine maintains its quality.
6. Vintage Glasses
Vintage glasses are not designed for any particular type of wine, they’re sold for the aesthetic. They’re a wide glass all around, like a coupe glass. While they won’t necessarily enhance flavor, they are fun to drink out of!
5. Rosé White Glasses
Rosé white glasses are similar to a standard rosé glass, with the addition of a flared lip. This design is made for this lightest, brightest of the rosé options. It allows the flavor to be fully pronounced.
4. Balloon Glasses
Balloon glasses are some of the most common glasses you’ll see in stores, bars, and homes. They’re wide and round, and ideal for many types of red wine. They’re good to have on hand for any occasion. They can even work for mixed drinks.
3. Flute Glasses
Flute glasses are built for sparkling wine and champagne. They’re a tall, narrow glass. Flute glasses are primarily built to show off the look of the bubbles in sparkling wines.
2. Stemless Glasses
Stemless glasses can come in the shape of any wine glasses made for specific types of wine. They’re popular in bars and for homes. The only downside is that the warmth of your hand will change the temperature of the wine.
1. Aerating Glasses
Aerating glasses are one of the most unique types of wine glasses. They have a built-in aerator in the glass, to pour your wine through. If you want a fancier wine glass, and you don’t have a full-sized wine aerator, these glasses are perfect.
"Key Takeaway: Serving wine in the right glass not only looks good for the customer experience, it also enhances different wine flavors."
Frequently Asked Questions About Wine Glass Types
The number of types of wine glasses can seem daunting and, for new wine enthusiasts, it tends to inspire questions. Our answers to these frequently asked questions will give you more insight into the types of wine glasses you can use. They'll also help to explain why each of them is important for different types of wine.
What are the Main Types of Wine Glasses?
The two main types of wine glasses are stemmed and stemless glasses. From there, the breakdown of wine glasses gets into the 15 types of wine glasses in this BinWise blog post. There is a wine glass for every major type of wine. That covers the best type of red wine to the best type of white wine.
What are Very Small Wine Glasses Called?
Very small, short-stemmed wine glasses are often called Port glasses or snifters. They’re designed for robust wines and spirits. They have a wide bottom and a somewhat narrow top. The shape is designed to give your drink room to breathe in the glass.
What Is a Red Wine Glass Called?
The classic glass that is typically called a red wine glass is a Bordeaux glass. It has a broad bowl, which is designed to give full-bodied red wines room to aerate. In a typical glassware section of a store, the red wine glasses are the larger option.
What Is an Old Wine Glass Called?
Old wine glasses are also known by the name of antique baluster glasses. These old-fashioned goblet glasses get their name from the French word balustre which means pomegranate flower. They’re recognizable by the large knob in the stem of the glass.
Wine Glass Types: General Wine Glassware Needs
If you’re looking to increase restaurant sales or do the same for wine bar businesses, learning the types of wine glasses can help. You can develop a customer service relationship with everyone from sommelier guests to wine connoisseurs. Your wine lists will also benefit from having the right glasses to pair with your wines–including house wines.
When you’re expanding your inventory with wine glasses, reach out to BinWise and BlueCart. The BinWise Pro inventory program, paired with the BinScan mobile app, eases the process when you take inventory. BlueCart’s order management system gives you the order management software to keep up with ordering glasses and wine stock.