Lenox

Tulip glasses have a narrow opening to concentrate a wine's aroma.

Merlot, Chablis, Bordeaux, shiraz… there are many different types of wine, and they sound a lot like a foreign language. (That’s because they often are – French, Italian, Spanish….)

To top it off, each type of wine is best served in a wine glass designed specifically for that wine. Red wine, white wine, blush, champagne. Your head might be spinning… without even taking one sip of your favorite vintage!

Don’t worry. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to look like one. Just follow these wine glass basics:

Tulip wine glasses

Often referred to as a wine goblet, this glass has a narrow opening to concentrate the wine’s aroma (or “bouquet”) and to allow for wine swirling. Use tulip wine glasses for merlot, cabernet and Bordeaux wines.

White wine glasses

A smaller version of the tulip wine glass, the white wine glass is best used for chilled white wines that require less air exposure. White wine glasses are ideal for Chablis, chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc.

Large-format wine glasses

For wines that are “big” or “closed,” large balloon wine glasses allow for maximum exposure of air. They’re usually used to serve red wines such as Burgundy, shiraz, pinot noir or syrah.

Crystal wine glasses help bring out flavors and aromas in fine wines that might otherwise be lost in less expensive stemware.

Champagne flutes

Sparkling wines are best served in narrow, festive champagne flutes, which help keep the champagne “bubbly.”

What about crystal wine glasses?

Crystal is the preferred material for fine wine glasses because it helps bring out aromas and flavors in fine wines. Crystal wine glasses are more fragile than their glass counterparts, can cost more, and should be washed by hand.

Here’s an extra tip (we said “tip,” not “tipsy”): Always pour wine to the lower one-third of the wine glass.

Visit Lenox.com for an extensive selection of wine glasses and other glassware.