Antiques

Mmmm Wine…

Wine glasses and Martini Glasses can be found in a wide variety of styles as the way in which wine is served can influence its perception, and the vessel in which wine is contained is often a determining factor.  For instance, the very shape of a wine glass is important as it concentrates the flavour and smell ( often referred to as bouquet among enthusiasts ), emphasizing unique traits of particular sorts of grape ( such wines, made from one specific sort of the fruit, are known as varietals ).  Indeed, wine lore has it that the form of the glass basically directs the wine itself towards the best, most sensitive part of a drinker’s mouth for tasting! 

The opening of the wine glass is not frequently broader than the widest circumference of the bowl, the part in which the drink is contained.  Most bowls are held up by stems, which are attached to bases called the foot.  Varied functions are ascribed to stems, for example keeping hands and fingers from obscuring the wine and keeping the glass from being smeared with fingerprints.  Contrary to popular belief, the stem wasn’t created to help prevent body heat from warming the wine, which myth is belied by the trend in stemless wine glasses, even hand-painted wine glasses

These wine tumblers, as they are called, have been increasing in popularity, but most wine glasses can be divided into generally recognized classes suspect only to the strictest of connoisseurs and purists : red wine glasses, white wine glasses, champagne flutes, and sherry glasses.  Red wine glasses have a tendency to have rounder wider bowls, related to extend the rate of oxidization, which exposure to air is claimed to benefit red wines the very best.  White wine glasses alter the most in form and size, but are designed to prevent oxidization; champagne flutes will have the narrowest mouths because of this.  A sherry glass is meant for serving liqueurs and the like.

hand paint