Style and Shape: A wine glass has three parts: a bowl, the upper part where the wine is filled, a stem, to be held at, and a foot to place it on the table.
There are many types of wine glasses in different sizes, ranging from sherry glasses (3.4oz) to big goblets for heavy Burgundy red wines offering a generous volume of (app. 25oz).

Appropriate temperature of the wine glasses: Wine glasses should have the same temperature that the wine served has. It is recommended to serve white wine at a temperature of 8C- 10C (46 F-50F), soft, light fruity red wines at about 15 C (59 F) and full bodied tannic red wines at 17C (62F). One should not expose wine glasses to direct sunlight before serving wine in them, they may warm up the wine inside, especially if the glass is thick-walled. If the wine glass is cooled to a far too low temperature the wall of the glass may get dewy if wine is poured inside.
This may limit the visual experience.

Decanting wine: In general it is advisable to serve wine in a decanter first, as with aging of the wine sediment is deposited at the bottom of the bottle. The aim of the decanting the wine is to leave the sediment in the bottle and introduce some air in the liquid, let it breathe, release its aromas. In case of old wines it is especially important to separate the sediment and ensure a clarity and brillance.

Cleaning wine glasses: Wine glasses should be cleaned with a minimum amount of cleaning detergent and gently washed with warm water. Drying should be done with a cotton-cloth or a microphase cloth. At last wine glasses should be stored in a clean dry cupboard with the mouth opening facing downwards to avoid the dust deposited at the bottom of the glass.

Cleaning and Drying

• Cleaning by hand with a soft sponge and gentle dishwashing liquid is recommended.
• Put glasses on a paper towel to drip dry, then delicately wipe with a linen tea towel or a soft, fluff-free cloth.
• If using a dishwasher, select a moderate-temperature programme, use a small amount of dishwashing powder, as opposed to liquid, gel, etc., and make sure there is enough space between products.
• Do not use dishwasher for products decorated with gold or platinum.
• Clean decanters and jugs with clear, lukewarm water after use.
• Avoid leaving wine in them.
• To remove marks left by tannin or calcium deposits, pour white vinegar into the decanter or jug and add lukewarm water. Leave for as long as necessary, then rinse.
• To absorb humidity inside carafes, insert a long piece of paper towel and leave there for one day.

Storing and Handling

• Avoid contact between pieces.
• Never pile glasses on top of each other.
• Store glasses on their feet.
• Store decanters without stoppers in.

Preventing Thermal Shock

• Tea & coffee

To prevent thermal shock, pass cups and goblets under lukewarm water before using.

• Candlesticks

To prevent thermal shock, change candle when flame is 2 in from crystal or pour a drop of water in the candlestick before using.

REMEMBER: Only hand wash and do not use any hard sponges or steel wool. We cannot be responsible if gold peels off.

Storing wine glasses: If the wine glasses are stored in a cupboard for longer time periods it is advisable to wash the glasses first with cold water to remove the marks of the resulting for the evaporation of the wooden cupboard. After that it is recommended to rinse the glasses with wine.
Wine glasses should by no means stored in muffy rooms where smoking is allowed. If a wine enthusiast is served wine in a unclean wine glass smelling of tobacco or washing detergent the tasting experience will be disappointing.
 
Using wine glasses: Wine glasses should not be filled by more than 50%. Instead of serving wine in a wine glass, one should rather use a stylish jug or wine decanter. The bouquet of the wine can only develop in a glass which offers enough airspace above the liquid.

The wine glass is leaned in the hand and budged with small circular movements in order to bring the wine in the bowl into movement. The drink should cover the inside walls of the glass. As the fine liquid evaporates from the walls it allows the human nose to experience the bouquet. A glass that is filled to a high level will not offer enough odor to be recognized by the nose. It is recommended to leave enough room in the glass to be able to tilt it at a forty-five degree angle to analyze the color of the wine.

Also the mouth of the glass will influence the taste experience of wine. It should be thin and perfectly polished. The rim of the wine glass should make it possible for the wine to flow quickly and spread evenly on the right parts of the tongue in the mouth. A small sip of wine should be enough to experience the different dimensions of the taste.

Manufacturing wine glasses: Nowadays wine glasses are mostly manufactured with machines. A hot glass tube is introduced in a divisible mold and then high pressure air is blown in the tube which fills the mold perfectly from inside. The wall thickness of the wine glass is getting smaller with the diameter increasing as the mass of the glass is constant along the tube. The mold is divided and the hot machine-blown glass is taken out. There are cuts made on the upper part of the bowl in order to be able to break off the lid of the wine glass. The razor sharp mouth of the wine glass is made smooth by re-melting that part of the glass.

Machine made wine glasses can be recognized on the longitudinal welds on the stem and foot. To make the welds disappear from the bowl, which would mean a visual disaster, that part of the glass is reheated.

Handmade wine glasses are also manufactured with high pressure air, however the air does not come from a machine but from the lungs of a glassblower artisan. The glassblower uses a long and narrow tube-like pipe and forms the shape without a mold. The artisan has to concentrate on many factors ar the same time: the temperature of the glass, the shape of the glass bubble, the quantity of air required, the speed of air streaming from his lungs in the bubble. Exceptional skills and an experienced eye is needed to shape the perfect glass. This type of manufacturing is costly because a lot of 2nd quality glasses are produced that have to be destroyed. Mouthblown glasses are for these reasons more expensive than machine made ones. The material costs of mouthblown glasses play also an important role. The usual lead crystal glasses have a much higher material cost than conventional wine glasses.

Wine glasses are manufactured a wide circle of glass factories. The price of wine glasses begin from a few cents and reach above 100 USD per glass.
Materials used when manufacturing lead crystal wine glasses
Wineglasses 6f h5gh quality are always handmade of crystal, which is porous and lets the wine aerate.

The International Crystal Federation (ICF) drafted an expert’s report (study), which confirms, that there are no technically or scientifically substitutes for lead in crystalglass. The same was done by the Fraunhofer Institute Würzburg.

Only with lead in glass is it possible to get important properties as high refractive index (for brilliancy), high dispersion, high light transmission, no "grey" but sharp color transition, high density and the essential thermal (for melting and forming), mechanical (for cutting and polishing) and refinement (for silver coating) properties. Cadmium compounds are necessary to get a very special and pure red color with unique light absorption in glass. Without chromium (VI) it would be absolute impossible to melt several unique green colors in glass (because of the high melting temperatures in glass). But the so called Siam- Emerald- and Peridot colors are standards especially in the jewelry branch.

Glasses and containers
There are various types of glassware of different shapes and sizes, all serving their own purpose.

•  Champagne flute This tulip shaped glass is designed to show off the waltzing bubbles of the wine as they brush against the side of the glass and spread out into a sparkling mousse. Typical Size: 6 oz.
• Cocktail glass This glass has a triangle-bowl design with a long stem, and is used for a wide range of straight-up (without ice) cocktails, including martinis, manhattans, metropolitans, and gimlets. Also known as a martini glass. Typical Size: 4-12 oz.
• Coffee mug The traditional mug used for hot coffee. Typical Size: 12-16 oz.
• Collins glass Shaped similarly to a highball glass, only taller, the collins glass was originally used for the line of collins gin drinks, and is now also commonly used for soft drinks, alcoholic juice, and tropical/exotic juices such as Mai Tai's. Typical Size: 14 oz.
• Cordial glass Small and stemmed glasses used for serving small portions of your favourite liquors at times such as after a meal. Typical Size: 2 oz.
• Highball glass A straight-sided glass, often an elegant way to serve many types of mixed drinks, like those served on the rocks, shots, and mixer combined liquor drinks (ie. gin and tonic). Typical Size: 8-12 oz.
• Hurricane glass A tall, elegantly cut glass named after it's hurricane-lamp-like shape, used for exotic/tropical drinks. Typical Size: 15 oz.
• Margarita/coupette glass This slightly larger and rounded approach to a cocktail glass has a broad-rim for holding salt, ideal for margarita's. It is also used in daiquiris and other fruit drinks. Typical Size: 12 oz.
•  Old-fashioned glass A short, round so called "rocks" glass, suitable for cocktails or liquor served on the rocks, or "with a splash". Typical Size: 8-10 oz.
• Parfait glass This glass has a similar inwards curve to that of a hurricane glass, with a steeper outwards rim and larger, rounded bowl. Often used for drinks containing fruit or ice cream. Typical Size: 12 oz.
• Pousse-cafe glass A narrow glass essentially used for pousse caf's and other layered dessert drinks. It's shape increases the ease of layering ingredients. Typical Size: 6 oz.
•  Red wine glass A clear, thin, stemmed glass with a round bowl tapering inward at the rim. Typical Size: 8 oz.
• Sherry glass The preferred glass for aperitifs, ports, and sherry. The copita, with it's aroma enhancing narrow taper, is a type of sherry glass. Typical Size: 2 oz.
• Shot glass A small glass suitable for vodka, whiskey and other liquors. Many "shot" mixed drinks also call for shot glasses. Typical Size: 1.5 oz.
• Whiskey sour glass Also known as a delmonico glass, this is a stemmed, wide opening glass, alike to a small version of a champagne flute. Typical Size: 5 oz.
• White wine glass A clear, thin, stemmed glass with an elongated oval bowl tapering inward at the rim. Typical Size: 12.5 oz.

For information on how to set a formal dining table setting, click here.