DURING THE PAST 35 YEARS, I’ve tasted countless wines, most often to create evocative wine and food pairings. Over the same period of time, oenophiles have witnessed an explosion of stemware options; technology has improved, and artisans have moved away from creating heavy crystal goblets and started making thinner, sleeker ones, perfect for swirling and viewing. Using proper glasses can enhance both the visual and technical aspects of sipping wine. When choosing stemware, consider the frequency of use, table size, quality of the wine and the varietals you prefer. Be sure that the bowls of the glasses are large enough to swirl, smell and taste each kind of wine. The stem, if too short, can permit the warmth of your hand to heat a wine too quickly and alter the proper temperature. Personally, I like the walls of the glass to be thin but not too fragile; single-piece glass is stronger and creates the most beautiful and seamless look.
This is the white-wine glass I use during the Boston Wine Festival. The long, thin (but durable) stems and rims are characteristic of the entire Bottega del Vino Crystal line. The classic bowl is large enough to swirl the wine without spilling and allows oxygen to enhance the fl avors of the wine. bottegadelvinocrystal.com
For the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, I use Schott Zwiesel Classico Tritan glasses. Of the three brands I use, these have the thickest edge, yet they still have fi nesse. The biggest difference is in the Champagne glass—though it’s vertical in shape, it widens slightly, which allows the bouquet to still be captured. schott-zwiesel.com
This unusual grappa glass hails from Austrian glass legend Riedel’s Sommeliers series, the apex of artistic lines. Made with 24 percent leaded crystal, almost all of the glasses in this series have a fl anged edge. The elongated bowl on this one helps the fl avors coming off the top go straight to the nose. riedel.com
This is the Bottega del Vino Crystal claret (or Bordeaux) glass. The brand was started by a restaurateur who wanted the elegant lines of top-notch glasses without the breakage, so he challenged Veronese glassblowers to create such a glass. I love that this could double as a large white-wine glass. bottegadelvinocrystal.com
The Bottega del Vino Crystal Pinot Noir (or Burgundy) glass has an unusual fl anged top edge, almost like an hourglass, which allows the aroma to be concentrated at the inner curve and then released to the nose at the fl are. This is the brand I use most often for wines from my personal cellar. bottegadelvinocrystal.com
The Spiegelau Burgundy glass has a classic bell shape with a constricted top and is versatile enough to showcase our entire range of Pinot Noirs. I like how durable the Spiegelau line remains while still retaining a thinness that keeps the experience high. spiegelau.com
