There is no best wine glass. There is your favorite.

Here is the truth most glass guides won’t tell you: the shape and size of a glass do not change a wine dramatically. Go back in history. In medieval times people drank wine from cups, not fine glasses, and they still loved it.

Yes, a good glass lifts the aroma. But open a bottle of Petrus and pour it into a Burgundy glass instead of a Bordeaux glass, and you will still enjoy it. You will still get the aromas. What the right glass really adds is satisfaction: the wine feels more enjoyable, and the moment feels special. That experience matters too.

Zalto, Riedel or Chef & Sommelier: a finer glass may give you maybe 10% more. Not a different wine. So choose your favorite glass, think about where you will use it, and save the fancy Zalto for the special nights.

If you are tasting a lot of wines, choose a small tasting glass. It keeps the aroma close to your nose, so you can compare wines side by side.

In my sommelier courses we tasted from Zalto, and it was great. But that was a course, not every day.

For every night, leave the delicate glasses for special nights. Zalto is not my everyday glass. For daily wine I suggest a sturdy red glass in the Bordeaux style, like a Riedel-style Chianti or Rioja glass, or a white wine glass in the Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling shape.

An everyday red, like a Chianti three to five years old, wants a medium glass: bigger than a white wine glass, smaller than a big red bowl. Something easy to enjoy.

The stem matters most. It should be strong, but not thick and heavy; not delicate either. A glass like this is safe in your kitchen cupboard and in daily washing.

Stemless glasses are very popular today, and for everyday wine I am happy to suggest them too.

For an unforgettable night, or when I open a rare bottle, I reach for Zalto, every time. Then I ask what the wine is.

A Bordeaux-style red goes in the Bordeaux glass. A Burgundy or a Chardonnay goes in a wider bowl, so it gets more air and opens up.

Zalto is very delicate, and that is the point: the thin glass is part of the experience. Handle it with care.

Red wine depends on the wine, a Chianti or a Rioja, and on the moment. A Bordeaux-style red wants the tall Bordeaux glass; a Burgundy wants the wide bowl. A younger Chianti sits in between: bigger than a white wine glass, smaller than a big red bowl.

For white wine I like a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling shape. The Riedel Riesling glass is one I like, and the Zalto White Wine glass is great. A Chardonnay like a white Burgundy also enjoys a wider bowl, with more air.

In old films, like Titanic, you see Champagne in the wide, shallow coupe. Today a flute, or a tulip, its cousin with a slightly wider bowl, is the better choice: it keeps the bubbles going and the aroma together. For most people, that is still my first answer.

If you want to be a little adventurous, try sparkling wine in a white wine glass, like a Sauvignon Blanc glass. The aroma opens up and the bubbles still hold. It also saves money: you don’t need extra glasses. A Riesling glass works beautifully.

For fortified wine I choose a port glass, and for a Sauternes, a sweet wine glass. A Bordeaux glass will still do, and nobody will complain. But the glass made for the wine makes the moment.

When I help someone choose a glass, I also tell them how to look after it. I never suggest detergent, because it can leave a smell that changes the aroma of the wine.

Hand-wash with hot water, then polish with a lint-free glass cloth.