With stemmed glasses that keep hands warm from warming the wine, selecting the appropriate glassware can enhance your wine drinking experience and elevate its enjoyment.

Professionals typically recommend selecting specific glasses for every type of wine, here are some ideas to get you started.

White Wine

No matter if it is crisp Sauvignon Blanc or complex Chardonnay, finding the appropriate glass can elevate your wine drinking experience. Wine glasses provide air for aeration and direct wine towards specific parts of the palate for enhanced pleasure.

Medium-sized glasses that narrow slightly towards the top are perfect for light white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Fume Blanc as their acidity can be appreciated while floral aromas remain preserved while limiting oxidation.

This style of glass is ideal for medium to full-bodied white wines such as Chardonnay or Sauternes. The narrow opening on top ensures that these wines reach the back of the palate without becoming overwhelmingly sweet; making this glass suitable for dessert wines as well.

Red Wine

An appropriate wine glass plays a pivotal role in elevating the aroma and flavor of any type of wine, helping bring out its full spectrum. Different shapes provide visual cues to highlight particular characteristics about each variety while stimulating all five senses during your wine drinking experience.

Wine glasses vary based on grape variety and region; however, four standard styles exist that you can select. Small bowl glasses allow wines to release aromatic and fruit flavors while maintaining its cold temperature; they feature a slightly tulip shape that focuses aromas near the mouth for enhanced aroma perception; these glasses pair beautifully with light-bodied Pinot Noirs from around the world and bold red wines featuring grippier tannins; rustic Italian cuisine also pairs nicely.

Sparkling Wine

A flute or tulip glass is the classic choice for Italian sparkling wines like Prosecco. The tall, slim glass helps maintain their special natural carbonation levels, as well as boasting long stems that prevent your hand heat from warming the wine prematurely.

If you prefer lighter and crisp Italian white wines, opt for glasses with narrower bowls to enhance their aromatic qualities. A small opening helps highlight all of Vermentino's subtle aromas so they're easier to detect on every sip.

Taster glasses, small 6oz glasses designed to taste wines at parties or as solo drinking experiences. Coupes may add style to themed parties, while universal wine glasses provide the ideal combination of size and shape to accommodate most varieties of wine - ideal if you don't wish to collect multiple glasses and are concerned about whether crystal stands up well against dishwasher wash cycles.

Champagne

Champagne should be enjoyed in glasses designed to highlight its lovely bubbles. A Champagne flute has a narrow top which concentrates aromas while keeping the wine cooler longer to preserve its effervescence.

A Pinot Noir glass features a shorter, wider bowl shape to help enhance the subtle aromas found in these wines and direct them towards the front of the palate. Additionally, this type of glass works well when pairing them with Tempranillo, Malbec or richer Cabernet Franc wines.

Choose the appropriate wine glasses for Italian wine to maximize its enjoyment and to fully appreciate each varietal's distinct characteristics. When selecting glassware, take into consideration your preferred type of wines, food you plan on pairing it with and how you prefer holding your glasses - consider a three-finger grip whereby you hold its stem with thumb, index and middle fingers - this enables you to swirl it without warming the glass too quickly and prevents your scent interfering with its aroma and flavors.