The 12 wine glasses worth buying to impress your dinner party guests, according to top sommeliers
Discover our top wine glass selections and expert tips from award-winning sommeliers on choosing the best for your home.
Any seasoned host knows that the secret to a great dinner party is in the details. While recipes matter, investing in the best wine glasses is what truly sets your table apart and elevates the entire evening.
Whether you are hosting a casual garden gathering or a formal multi-course dinner, choosing the best glassware enhances both the flavour of your drink and your guests’ experience.
We’ve curated a list of the most elegant wine glasses available, complete with expert advice from top sommeliers to help you find the perfect set.
12 best wine glasses
Sold as: Set of four
Skillfully crafted by artisans from high-quality crystalline glass, these glasses boast a beautiful, sleek design that’s sure to catch the eye of your guests. Team them with a white linen tablecloth and subtle spring foliage for a gorgeously understated tablescape.
Sold as: Set of four
If you’re looking for simple but trusty glassware to serve a growing collection of reds, these Luigi Bormioli glasses are a beautiful option. While they have a crisp, contemporary aesthetic thanks to their clean lines and uncomplicated design, they include all the fundamental design features – namely a large bowl and long stem - that are characteristic of a good red wine glass.
Sold as: Set of six
Designed by French designer Aurélien Barbry for Georg Jensen, the SKY dinnerware collection embodies Scandinavian minimalism at its finest, and these sleek, sculptural glasses are the ultimate in combining practicality with beauty. Thanks to their long stem and tapered rim, they’ll keep your favourite white perfectly chilled while enhancing its aromas.
Sold as: Set of four
The angular bowls, super tall stems and fine rims of these LSA glasses are all produced from environmentally friendly, lead-free crystalline glass. This not only means that they have a high level of durability, perfect if you’re a regular host, but also great brilliance and clarity for viewing your wine.
Sold as: Set of two
From the heart of Dartington Crystal’s Wine Master collection, this wine glass duo will make a beautiful addition to your glassware collection if you typically love fresh, light whites. The undulating shape of these glasses has been specially designed to bring out crisp aromas in the likes of unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a sweeter Riesling.
Sold as: Set of two
The Graphik Crystal Glasses, designed for red wine, are some of our personal favourites. Thanks to their unique hand-carved chequerboard design, they’ll be something to cherish, whether it’s on special occasions or for making the everyday a little bit more beautiful.
Sold as: Set of two
Riedel’s designs are all about creating the optimum glass shape for maximum flavour delivery, so if you’re someone who knows exactly what they like in a wine and just want to bring the best out of it, Riedel glassware is a good bet. This particular set is best for pinot noir.
Sold as: Set of four
Timeless, luxurious and chic, Soho Home’s Barwell crystal is actually used throughout all Soho House Members’ Clubs. These weighty, cut crystal glasses feature a narrow bowl and tapered rim, which makes them perfect for enhancing the aromas of your favourite white.
Sold as: Set of six
If you love non-traditional style, you’ll adore Oka’s mouth-blown Pulcinella small wine glasses. Featuring a series of mismatched hand-decorated white spots, stripes, and diamonds, this set adds an effortless talking point to any dining table. These short stems are best for laid-back al fresco dining.
Sold as: Set of four
Crafted from ultra-light crystal, this set of four large red wine glasses from M&S brings a touch of fine dining home. Their generous wide-bowl design helps release full-bodied aromas for an enhanced tasting experience. Plus, they offer a delicate feel in the hand without compromising on quality.
Sold as: Set of six
Inspired by 19th-century and early 20th-century English designs, The Vintage List’s Crystal Wine glasses aren’t just perfect for adding a vintage vibe to your tablescape; they’re incredibly versatile too. This traditional bowl shape is suitable for serving both red and white wine, and although each crystal glass has been hand-blown and hand-engraved with dainty little stars, they’re also totally dishwasher-safe.
Sold as: Set of four
Designed with a clean, contemporary feel, this set of four Odette white wine glasses adds timeless appeal to your table. The sparkling clear crystal beautifully displays your chosen wine while feeling lightweight and comfortable to hold. They make a chic and versatile addition to any home bar or dining set.
How to choose wine glasses
There’s a myriad of beautiful glassware on the market right now, but when it comes to shopping for wine glasses, there are a few practical factors that you need to keep in mind. We spoke to wine consultant Melania Battiston and Sandia Chang, sommelier and co-founder of two Michelin-starred Kitchen Table, to find out why the right wine glass matters, and what to look for when you shop.
1. Shape is key
The shape and size of a glass isn’t just for aesthetics. You should match the shape of the glass to the type of wine you’re serving, as certain features - such as the bowl size and rim shape - will bring out certain elements of the wine.
‘The different shapes of glasses help with bringing out aromas, and they also diffuse certain aspects of wine, such as alcohol on the nose,’ explains Chang. ‘The shape of the glass also determines how we tilt our heads back to access the alcohol, therefore controlling where the liquid hits a certain part of your tongue first,’ she adds.
2. Red wine glasses should have a wide bowl
As a general rule, red wine should be served in a glass with a large rounded bowl, as this allows the wine to breathe. ‘I think that any red wine, whether it’s full-bodied or less, calls for a decent glass, characterised by a generous base and a wider opening,’ says Battiston.
3. Choose narrow white wine glasses
White wine glasses should typically feature a small, narrow bowl, as this preserves the cooler temperature that white wine is usually served at. Lots of white wine glasses will also feature a tapered rim, as this directs the wine to the tip and sides of the tongue, where the taste buds most sensitive to sweetness are concentrated.
‘Young and aromatic wines, such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, require a tapered, tulip-like glass,’ says Chang. ‘This is because they don’t need too much oxygen to release fragrance, and the tapered rims help concentrate the aromas.
‘Fuller-bodied and aged whites require bigger bowls and wide rims,’ she adds. ‘They require ample oxygen and also more liquid to hit the tongue to enjoy the roundness of the wine.’
Head to our ultimate guide to the different types of wine glasses to discover more about the key features of each glass type.
What to consider when buying new wine glasses
When choosing your new wine glasses, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure you get the best fit for your home and entertaining style. Here’s what the experts had to say about selecting the perfect glass…
Be practical
’Keep it simple,’ says Chang. ‘Just because a glass is expensive doesn’t mean it makes your wine taste better. At home I don’t like the stress of worrying about breakages during entertainment; therefore I use glasses that are appropriate but budget-friendly.’
‘Also consider your cleaning capabilities at home,’ Chang adds. ‘Some glassware is not suited for dishwashers whilst others are more durable.’
Don’t overcomplicate things
You don’t need endless glasses for each different type of wine. If you have good red and white glasses, you’ll have enough to serve rosé and sparkling wines too. ‘A light rosé would be good in a white wine glass, whilst a more concentrated rosé will be better in a red wine glass,’ says Chang.
‘Also, contrary to what people may think, you will not lose the bubbles drinking sparkling wine if it’s not from a flute,’ she adds. ‘Champagne and sparkling wines are just wine with bubbles, so they should be appreciated like a wine,’ says Chang.
Crystal vs glass
‘I’d always recommend opting for crystal drinkware as opposed to glass,’ says Stephanie Wright, head of marketing and sales at Dartington Crystal. ‘Crystal provides a more luxurious feel in the hand, as it’s heavier than glass or crystalline. The clarity of crystal allows the true colour of your wine to be seen clearly and appreciated – especially important when entertaining at home.’
FAQs
What key features make a wine glass versatile enough for every wine?
Building a versatile glassware collection doesn’t mean you need a different shape for every bottle. If you want a single, all-rounder glass that works seamlessly for reds, whites, and rosés alike, prioritise durability alongside a thoughtful shape.
‘If you’re looking to invest in only one glass style for all wines, I’d recommend something pretty strong so that it can stand the test of time,’ suggests Robbie Cook, co-founder of Pocket Sommelier. ‘I’d avoid investing in top-quality thin glass as these can easily crack or break if you put it down a bit too quickly.’
‘Top features to look out for are: a wide and tall ‘bowl’ so that you can swirl the wine around in the glass to activate the aromas and elevate your wine experience; a decently thick stem so that it doesn’t snap in your hand, but don’t go too thick; lastly, look out for glasses that have a tulip-shaped bowl, as the shape of this glass helps to funnel the aromas towards your nose.’
Can using the wrong wine glass ruin a great food and wine pairing?
‘No, it won’t ruin a great food and wine pairing; if anything, you just won’t get the full experience of the chosen wine,’ notes Cook. While choosing the incorrect glassware won’t destroy a delicious meal, it can prevent a great bottle from reaching its full potential. The shape of the glass primarily affects how the wine breathes and releases its aromas, rather than changing the pairing itself.
‘Have you ever seen people swirl wine in their glass before they sip it? That’s because wine glasses have been designed to interact with oxygen in the ‘bowl’ of the glass to bring out different flavour and scent profiles that help them to deduce how old the wine is and how it’s made,’ Cook adds. ‘A lot of what goes into a great food and wine pairing is what happens in your mouth, and the means of getting it there won’t impact that, unless you haven’t cleaned your glass very well.’
Now that you’ve found the right glassware to suit your table, consider how the rest of your setup comes together. Elevating your hosting game goes beyond the table setting. Styling a dedicated corner with one of the best bar carts gives your space an instant entertaining hub, leaving plenty of room for creative home bar ideas. Be sure to stock up on tall best champagne glasses alongside your classic stems so you’re always prepared to pour a chilled bottle of the best English sparkling wine when guests arrive.
For the final finishing touch, don’t forget the tools that maximise the flavour of every bottle you open. If you want to skip hours of decanting time for full-bodied reds, this wine aerator and decanter from Amazoninstantly softens tannins as you pour, ensuring every glass tastes as smooth as possible from the very first sip.
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