Universal Wine Glassesby SOMM DIGI

    Blind tastings · Wine nights

    Wine Tasting Glasses: Do You Really Need Them? A Sommelier’s Answer

    A small glass, a small pour, many wines. What a tasting glass is, what to check before you buy, and the four sets I would choose.

    By Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier15 years serving wine

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    Short on time? The sommelier’s picks

    A small tasting glass of rosé held above the rows of a vineyard on a summer evening

    The short answer

    As a wine lover, yes. Buy at least one set and keep it in your cellar.

    You want to host a wine night, or you are learning to taste, and now you are looking at a hundred glasses on Amazon, asking yourself: do I really need special wine tasting glasses?

    It is a fair question. I have tasted more than 10,000 wines in my sommelier career and hosted many wine events. A wine tasting glass is small: you pour 30 to 40 ml, the aroma comes to you at once, and you can taste many wines, and even cognac or port, in the same glass. Here is what to know before you buy.

    From my tastings

    A few of the 10,000 wines

    • A tasting pour of Penfolds Grange Shiraz beside its bottle
      Penfolds Grange
    • Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino with a decanter and a glass
      Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino
    • Gaja Sperss 2007 Langhe Nebbiolo with a glass of red wine
      Gaja Sperss 2007
    • Château Léoville Barton 2007 Saint-Julien with a glass of red wine
      Château Léoville Barton 2007
    • López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 2002 with a decanter and a glass
      Viña Tondonia Reserva 2002
    • Álvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2014 with a glass of red wine
      Camins del Priorat 2014

    The name

    What is a wine tasting glass, and why is it called that?

    We call it a wine tasting glass because in a tasting we don’t drink the wine. We taste it and analyse it: you take a sip, then you spit it out.

    So when you buy wine tasting glasses, I suggest you also buy a spittoon, a small bucket to spit into. Your guests will thank you at the end of the night.

    Two glasses of red Burgundy on a Domaine de la Vougeraie tasting sheet with handwritten notes and a pen
    A producer tasting: Domaine de la Vougeraie, a small pour in each glass, notes on the sheet.

    On the box

    What does INAO mean? The official tasting glass

    You will see “INAO” on many tasting glasses. INAO is France’s national institute for the origin and quality of wine, the body behind France’s appellations. Its tasting glass became the standard glass for professional tastings: a small, egg-shaped bowl that narrows at the top, about 200 ml, on a short, sturdy stem.

    The narrow top keeps the aroma in the glass, and every wine is judged in the same glass. That is why you find it at wine competitions and courses.

    Pop-art illustration of a small tasting glass with a small pour of red wine on a blank tasting sheet, a pen beside it and a metal spit bucket behind
    Illustration: a small tasting glass, a small pour, a tasting sheet and a bucket to spit into.

    Size and pour

    Why is a wine tasting glass small, and how much do you pour?

    Compared with other wine glasses, a tasting glass is small, and that is on purpose. In a tasting you pour only a little: 30 ml, maybe 40 ml.

    In a small glass you get the aroma immediately. It keeps the aroma in, it is easy to swirl, and it is great for tasting the wine.

    The pour
    30–40 ml
    About 1 to 1.5 oz. Just enough to taste.
    The tasting glass
    About 200 ml
    The official INAO glass holds about 6.8 oz.
    The set
    2, 4 or 6
    Six for a group or a wine night.
    Two glasses with a small pour of red Burgundy in front of bottles of Louis Latour Château Corton Grancey Grand Cru and Bourgogne Gamay
    Two Louis Latour reds side by side. The pour fills only the bottom of the glass.

    No tasting glass yet?

    Can you use a white wine glass as a tasting glass?

    Yes. I suggest a small white wine glass. Pour just 40 ml, enough to taste and understand the wine. The small pour is what matters.

    Sets

    How many wine tasting glasses do you need?

    The minimum is two, if you buy two small white wine glasses. But most tasting glasses come in sets of six, and for good reason: you usually taste in a group, talking about the wine with the people in front of you, or hosting a wine night.

    Wine glasses for wine tasting are also how you build your blind tasting skills: pour everyone a little of each wine, and taste them side by side.

    Five tasting glasses of white and red wine on a Court of Master Sommeliers deductive tasting placemat with numbered circles
    A Court of Master Sommeliers tasting: one glass for each wine, each on its numbered circle.

    Care

    Sturdy and dishwasher safe, but wash them without perfume

    Tasting glasses are harder to break. They are small, with a strong stem, and they are dishwasher safe.

    But here is what I suggest: don’t use a perfumed or aromatic detergent. Wash them with hot water, wipe them dry and keep them clean. In a tasting, you want to smell the wine, not the detergent. Then they are ready for your next tasting. More in my guide to washing wine glasses.

    Pop-art illustration of a woman in a 1960s kitchen polishing a tasting glass with a white cloth over a sink of steaming hot water
    Illustration: hot water and a clean cloth. No perfumed detergent near a tasting glass.

    What to buy

    The best wine tasting glasses: my four picks

    Price level: $ budget · $$ everyday · $$$ mid-range · $$$$ premium. The buttons show today’s price on Amazon.

    1. 01

      The classic tasting glass

      Stölzle Lausitz INAO Wine Tasting Glasses

      Set of 6 · 6.8 oz (about 200 ml) · dishwasher safe · $$

      Best for: Real tastings, blind tastings and wine courses.

      This is the official INAO tasting glass: small, sturdy and made for a 30 to 40 ml pour. If you want true wine tasting glasses, start here.

      See the set of 6 on Amazon
    2. 02

      For wine nights on a budget

      SHYRC Wine Glasses

      Sets of 6, 8 or 12 · 12 oz · sturdy glass · $

      Best for: A wine night with many guests.

      A simple, sturdy glass at a low price, in sets big enough for a group. Pour a little of each wine and let everyone taste.

      See the sets on Amazon
    3. 03

      Crystal in a gift box

      JBHO Hand-Blown Crystal Wine Glasses

      Set of 4 · 18 oz · lead-free crystal · gift box · $$

      Best for: A gift, or a tasting that feels special.

      Hand-blown, lead-free crystal in a gift box. It is a full-size glass, so keep the tasting pour small: 30 to 40 ml.

      See the set of 4 on Amazon

      Popular on Amazon · See ratings and reviews

    4. 04

      The premium all-rounder

      Gabriel-Glas Crystal Wine Glasses

      Set of 6 · 16 oz · Austrian lead-free crystal · dishwasher safe · $$$$

      Best for: One premium glass for tasting and for dinner.

      One glass for red and white wine, in lead-free crystal from Austria, in a gift box. For a tasting, pour 30 to 40 ml; for dinner, it is your everyday wine glass.

      See the set of 6 on Amazon

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    Side by side

    • Stölzle Lausitz INAO

      Shop
      Holds
      6.8 oz
      In the box
      6
      Dishwasher
      Yes
      Price
      $$
      Best for
      Real tastings

    • SHYRC

      Shop
      Holds
      12 oz
      In the box
      6, 8 or 12
      Dishwasher
      Not stated
      Price
      $
      Best for
      Wine nights, many guests

    • JBHO hand-blown crystal

      Shop
      Holds
      18 oz
      In the box
      4
      Dishwasher
      Not stated
      Price
      $$
      Best for
      A gift

    • Gabriel-Glas

      Shop
      Holds
      16 oz
      In the box
      6
      Dishwasher
      Yes
      Price
      $$$$
      Best for
      Tasting and dinner

    More than wine

    Not only for wine: whisky, cognac, armagnac and port

    Because they are small, tasting glasses also suit whisky, cognac, armagnac and other spirits. You can even use them as port wine glasses. One set, many uses.

    Small stemmed tasting glasses of sherry, Marsala and port in front of bottles of Lustau Río Viejo Oloroso, Tío Pepe, La Canellese Marsala, Solear Manzanilla and Sandeman port
    A fortified wine tasting: sherry, Marsala and port, each in a small tasting glass.

    Rules

    Is there a rule?

    There is an official tasting glass, the INAO, but no rule says you must use it at home. What you read here is my own experience.

    A glass of red wine with the name Domaine Comte Peraldi on the glass, beside a bottle of Comte Peraldi Ajaccio 2012
    A winery’s own tasting glass, with the domaine’s name on it: Domaine Comte Peraldi, Ajaccio, Corsica.

    My answer

    So, do you really need wine tasting glasses?

    As a wine lover, yes. Buy at least one set and keep it in your cellar. On a wine night, when a friend brings their favourite bottle, you can taste it first, then enjoy it. And the same glasses are ready for your cognac, armagnac or port.

    We drink wine from all kinds of wine glasses. A wine tasting glass is the one made for tasting.

    See my four picks

    Pop-art illustration of three friends at a 1960s wine night: a row of six small tasting glasses of white and red wine, the bottles hidden in brown paper bags for a blind tasting
    Illustration: a blind tasting at home. The bottles hide in paper bags; everyone gets a little of each wine.

    My picks from this guide

    Ready to choose?

    One click shows today’s price on Amazon.

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    Wine tasting glass FAQ

    Do you really need wine tasting glasses?

    As a wine lover, yes. Buy at least one set and keep it in your cellar. They let you taste many wines in one evening, at a tasting, a wine night or a blind tasting, and the same glasses suit cognac, armagnac and port.

    What size is a wine tasting glass?

    Small. The official INAO tasting glass holds about 200 ml (6.8 oz): a small, egg-shaped bowl that narrows at the top, on a short, sturdy stem.

    How much wine do you pour in a tasting glass?

    30 to 40 ml. Just enough to taste and understand the wine. In a small glass the aroma comes to you at once, and the wine is easy to swirl.

    Can I use a regular wine glass for a wine tasting?

    Yes. A small white wine glass works well. Pour 40 ml; the small pour is what matters.

    How many wine tasting glasses should I buy?

    At least two. For a group, a wine night or a blind tasting, a set of six, so everyone can taste each wine side by side.

    What does INAO mean on a tasting glass?

    INAO is France's national institute for the origin and quality of wine, the body behind France's appellations. The INAO glass is the official tasting glass used at wine competitions and courses.

    Are wine tasting glasses dishwasher safe?

    Most are, and they are harder to break than premium wine glasses. For tastings I wash them with hot water and wipe them dry, with no perfumed detergent, so no smell gets in the way of the wine.

    Can I use a wine tasting glass for whisky or cognac?

    Yes. Their small size suits whisky, cognac, armagnac and other spirits, and they work as port wine glasses too.

    Keep reading

    Best wine glasses: my glass for every moment →Best white wine glasses →Port wine glasses →Cognac glasses →