Time to talk - Glassware.

There are so many different wine glasses out there - but does size and style matter?

The answer is yes!

Wine glasses have evolved and changed over the years and there are so many different styles, but there are certain ones you should aim to use with certain wines.

First up, generally wine glasses should have a deep bowl and you should pour the wine to the widest part of the glass, the aromas can collect in the glass so when you go to take a sip your nose can pick up the aromas first .

White wine- should be served in a smaller wine glass to concentrate the aromas- white wines as whole tend to be less complex and instense than reds.

Red wine - should be served in a larger wine glass to allow more oxygen across the top of the wine and the aromas and flavours to develop and emerge.

Some lighter red wines are better in a slightly smaller glass as they have less intensity. E.g Gamay

Sparkling wine.... Well, originally this was served in a coupè and now is mainly served in a flute shape glass. In a flute glass it does help funnel the bubbles, but in all honesty the flute was designed to make a 125ml measure of wine look more than it actually is! Tulip glasses have become more popular in recent times, as they have a wider point to allow the aromas to appear but also make 125ml look bigger.

In my opinion, sparkling wine is best served in a white wine glass (I normally put it on my favourite red glass!) to allow the aromas out.

On to the size of the stem and bowl. The stem should be big enough for your whole hand to be able to hold it, so you don't have your hand on the bowl of the glass, why? When our hands are on the bowl of glass it can change the temperature of the wine. At times this can be helpful if a red wine is a little too cold. This is why having a wide bowl matters, the wine sits in the bottom of the glass so you can hold it in your hands to help raise the temperature gently.

Many chain/cheaper restaurants and pubs will have thick glass, smaller glasses for a number of reasons, thick glass is less fragile so less likely to break and smaller glasses take up less space in storage, on tables and dishwashers. Unfortunately this then changes our experience of the wine. My one tip would be to make sure you don't over fill the glass to allow the aromas a little space to come out.

You can tell a restaurant or setting that cares about how the wine is delivered as they will have a range of wine glasses to suit the wine they have on offer.

But now what if you can't access the glass? What if you have a disablilty that means you can't hold a glass or can't drink from a glass? What if you can only drink through a straw or need fluids thickened to make them safer for you to drink so you don't choke? How do we make the experience the experience it should be.

Firstly serve the wine as it should be served we all want to be treated equally. Ask the guest if they need anything else to support their experience. Serving the wine in the glass it should be served in, means the person should be able to smell the aromas in the glass. Make sure it is at the right temperature. Quite a few restaurants now don't hold straws in support of getting rid of single use plastic, but having some available for those who need them to drink is a great way to think about accessibility. Plastic cups- as a general rule are a no no when serving wine but for some, glassware can be dangerous to drink from. They may have a bite reflex which means they bite down on the glass so can't use it. Having a small selection of safer cups is another really easy way of setting up some accessiblity. Quite often someone with disabilities will carry such items with them to make sure they can access there drinks but understanding we can make wine accessible is important.

So next time you are having a glass of wine, do have a think about the glassware you are served wine in and don't be afraid to ask to swap it if you can see a better option. If you work in the wine industry have a think about what glassware you are serving wine in, have you got different choices and options for those who can't access a glass in a traditional way.

If you have any questions or would like any support of accessibility please feel free to reach out.

Thanks for reading!