Paying a lot for wine glasses can be a contentious topic. The producers of these often very expensive glasses put a lot of research into the shape of the bowl and how it affects the nose and palate of wines. Usually these are crafted to bring out the characteristics for specific grapes, but wine writer Karen MacNeil’s Flavor First wine glasses are based on wines’ general texture and body. 

She created glasses for Crisp & Fresh wines (think Sauvignon blanc and rosés), Creamy & Silky (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Bold & Powerful (Cab, Shiraz and Malbec). The bowls vary in surface areas, which either narrowly concentrate the aromas or open up the wine to more oxygen in the widest bowls.  

I tried a rosé in both a Crisp & Fresh and a Creamy & Silky glass, and definitely noticed more pronounced aromas in the first one which is what the rosé is meant for. It’s interesting to experiment and see what you can pull out of the same wine in a different glass – whether that adds to your enjoyment of it is up to you! A set of 6 is $74.99. 

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