J&Y Christmas Wine Glasses, Pack of 2 (Santa & Snowman), or Pack of 4 (2)

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Our sommelier experts include Laura Newman, Owner of Queen’s Park and Neon Moon (Level 2 Somm.), Seth Dunagen, Helen (Level 2 Somm.), and Trent Stewart and Brendan Loper from Golden Age Wine Naysayers might feel there's no difference, that a pour into a regular drinking glass doesn't ultimately change the wine for the casual wine drinker. Our feeling is that there's nothing snooty about enhancing an everyday experience with an upgrade, and when it comes to enjoying wine, it can make a genuine difference. We've tested dozens of wine glasses, all vetted by our editors, sommeliers, and wine industry experts, to bring together a list of the most timeless wine glass sets to serve yourself and your guests at home.

The concept of buying varietal-specific glasses is antiquated and can be quite overwhelming,” notes Justin Wilson, the director of outlets at SAAM Lounge. “Simply stated, life is simpler with a universal or all-purpose wine glass. A high-quality stemmed universal wine glass will accommodate most if not all, wines across the spectrum.” With its timeless design and wide bowl, the glass is ideal for white or red wines (and sparkling too, for that matter), as the aesthetic presentation of the wine is attractive and the aromatics are rich and pleasing. We found that delicate aromatics opened up a bit more after swirling, allowing us to experience more of the wine characteristics. The shape of the glass will affect the taste of the wine. The top of the glass should curve inward, concentrating the aromas; this, in turn, enhances the flavor of the wine. Red wine glasses should have a larger bowl than white since a bigger bowl allows for the red's bolder aromas and flavors to emerge and increases the rate of oxidation, which smooths the complex flavors. White wines require a smaller bowl to maintain the cooler temperature. Champagne glasses are tall and narrow with long stems to retain carbonation and prevent your hand from heating up the sparkling wine. Material: Hand-blown crystal | Capacity: 25.9 ounces | Dimensions (HxW): 9.1 x 4.3 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes Typically white wine glasses have a smaller bowl holding around 8 to 10 ounces, and the universal glass, which is meant to be your go-to glass for both red and white wine, holds a bit closer to 12 to 16 ounces,” describes Rudzinski.The main difference between “standard” non-varietal red and white glasses is usually in width. Red wine glasses usually will have a wider bowl profile since reds tend to need more air to make them sing. White wine glasses will have a taller, narrower bowl, which can help them retain their cooler temperature. You can serve red or white in pretty much any glass, so if you want to buy one set, look for a universal style glass, which splits the difference. The bowl might be larger than a standard white glass but less balloon-shaped than a traditional red glass. Kate Dingwall is an experienced spirits writer and WSET-trained sommelier with an award-winning restaurant group. She has been writing about the bar and spirits world for five years, including extensive coverage of glassware. She drinks from Riedel’s Ouverture every day, a Waterford vintage cut crystal when she’s feeling fancy, and a Josephinenhutte when she’s breaking out the good stuff.

For wine lovers who appreciate a good value, the Angle glasses from Williams Sonoma offer a great deal of quality at a very affordable price. Tall and well-proportioned with a recognizable Bordeaux-style look, the glass had a classic yet modern appearance, and we found it to be reminiscent of the much more expensive Josephine glasses. It performed equally well for both red and white wines, highlighting the aromatics well and providing plenty of room for swirling with its large capacity. Wine glasses range from small glasses of under two ounces for dessert and fortified wines to giant balloons that can hold nearly a whole bottle if you don’t stop pouring! Generally, you want glasses large enough to get some air in the wine. A standard pour is around 3-5 ounces, or about the bottom third of a tulip-shaped glass or the bottom quarter of a balloon-shaped glass. If you are not purchasing varietal-specific glasses, choose a glass with about an 8-ounce capacity for white wines and a 10- to 12-ounce capacity for reds to allow for that airspace. You should also consider cleanup; if you intend to put them in the dishwasher, be sure the stems are not so tall as to prevent them from fitting in your washer. When buying a set of universal-style wine glasses to use at home, the key is to find an option that delivers high quality at an affordable price—enter the Zwiesel Glas Verbelle Wine Glasses, offered in a set of six. With a tall, thin profile, and crafted in a classic Bordeaux style, the Verbelle earns high marks for appearance. We weren't bothered by the rounded lip of this glass, sometimes a marker of a cheaper option, because it wasn't distracting and didn't take away from the tasting experience. Unwanted Food or Drink Products - Once supply conditions are broken, there are a number of factors outside of our control that can affect the quality of a product. Therefore perishable goods such as food and drink cannot be returned. Ray Isle is the Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine and the Wine & Spirits Editor for Travel + Leisure. His book The World in a Wineglass: The Insiders’ Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now is out nowIf you drink a lot of wine, you know that cleanup is a really important factor. Although we’d all love to painstakingly clean our wine glasses by hand, dry them with a specialized micro-fiber towel, and set them in a well-lit display case for all to see their spotless gleam, most of us have jobs, many of us have families, and none of us want to waste time cleaning wine glasses at the end of the night. If it’s hard to care for a glass, that factors into its overall goodness. A Sommelier’s Final Thoughts on What to Buy This Pinot Noir glass did equally well with red Burgundy, Nebbiolo, Bordeaux and more tannic reds but didn't allow for quite the nuance of flavors and aromas in red wine as the winning Zalto glass. Best Wine Glass for the Casual Wine Drinker: Spiegelau Vino Grande Tara Guthrie of San Antonio’s Chase’s Place continues, “If you have lees or stains that have accumulated at the bottom, use a soft scrub brush, avoid trying to scrub the glass with your hands because the crystal could easily break and hurt you. Find a brush with a 16-inch handle and the ability to bend it for use on decanters or easy access to hard-to-reach red wine stains.”