Wine glasses - fad or fashion? It used to be that cut wine glasses were 'the thing' and if you didn't have a glittering array of cut glass on your table you hadn't got it right.
Wine glasses have changed hugely over the past few years, to the point when pretty much most popular wine glasses are super thin, super tall and super large, unless they're stemless, of course.
'Scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the capacity of wine glasses has ballooned nearly seven-fold over the past 300 years, rising most sharply in the last two decades in line with a surge in wine consumption.' So you really shouldn't be that surprised if you're given a glass that holds most of a bottle.
Putting size aside, and as someone who loves to travel and dine out, there are some truly fabulous taste enhancing wine glasses out there, and I've taken to asking in a restaurant (if I like the glassware) who the designer/glass maker is - so along with wine this can become another extremely expensive hobby.....
'Scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the capacity of wine glasses has ballooned nearly seven-fold over the past 300 years, rising most sharply in the last two decades in line with a surge in wine consumption.' So you really shouldn't be that surprised if you're given a glass that holds most of a bottle.
Putting size aside, and as someone who loves to travel and dine out, there are some truly fabulous taste enhancing wine glasses out there, and I've taken to asking in a restaurant (if I like the glassware) who the designer/glass maker is - so along with wine this can become another extremely expensive hobby.....
 |  |  |
Riedel seems to be the No 1 favourite most probably because it's the most widely available and for the entry level glasses not over priced. Having said that, the top of the range glasses are beautiful. Try them out at Wolfgang Puck's Cut at 45 Park Lane....
Zwiesel 1872 - not to be confused with the less expensive (but great value) sister brand Schott Zwiesel. Handmade lead crystal glasses of the highest quality. Glasses from this glass maker can be found at 3* Epicure at Le Bristol Paris.
Zalto is a new generation of modern wine glasses, beautifully designed and pricier than many. Along with Mark Thomas's double bend wine glasses - below - these are loved by Sommeliers and top restaurants everywhere.
 |  |  |
Mark Thomas Double Bend Wine Glasses - to be found at Le George in Paris - beautiful to hold and drink from, uniquely designed and not overpriced. So if you want to have something different on your table consider these.
Lehmann Jamesse Prestige wine glasses - try these out at 114 Le Faubourg in Paris then buy them here for your table. These are much less expensive than I expected, I have to say, and I wouldn't hesitate to start a collection.
Then there is the beautiful 'dishwasher proof' (I wouldn't risk it, personally) stemware by Sophienwald - another Sommelier and wine lovers' favourite. Beautiful, lightweight and oh so elegant.
How many different wine glass designers do you need? It's like designer clothing to me, you can never have too many Little Black Dresses - all different, beautiful and to be pulled out when the mood takes you.
There are so many wine glasses to choose from. I have changed from enjoying using Georgian glasses (large ones, I might add and no, I'm not that old) to traditional cut glass, to simple clear glasses whose main purpose in life is to enhance the wine I'm drinking. I'm going to stick with those. No coloured glass, no odd shapes, no cut glass. Just a great bottle of wine and a beautiful glass. Thanks....
