The right glass for every drink

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Why the shape matters

The shape of a glass changes how much you pour, how fast a drink warms up, how long bubbles last and how much of the smell reaches you before the first sip. A big bowl lets a red breathe. A narrow flute keeps sparkling wine lively. A tall highball holds enough ice to keep a mixer cold. You do not need a glass for everything, but the right one makes an ordinary drink feel looked after.

The eight styles, and what to pour in them

Champagne flutes

Classic 220ml, Palace 235ml

Pour: Champagne, prosecco and sparkling wine, and a toast for everyone.

Tall and narrow, so the bubbles last. The Classic is our everyday flute. The Palace is Luigi Bormioli crystal, and we have 25 of them.

Trumpet flute

About 165ml, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: Sparkling wine through a long reception, bellinis, mimosas and kir royale.

Slim with a flared rim. A smaller pour than a flute, which suits a drink that keeps being topped up.

Vintage coupe

150ml saucer bowl

Pour: The toast, a champagne tower, and cocktails served without ice: espresso martini, margarita, daiquiri.

Wide and shallow. Lovely in photographs and for a toast, but bubbles fade faster than in a flute.

White wine

450ml, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: White wine, rosé, and spritzes over ice.

A smaller bowl than the red, so you pour a little at a time and a cold wine stays cold.

Red wine

600ml Merlot bowl, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: Reds of every kind, from pinot noir to shiraz.

A wide bowl gives the wine room to breathe. Pour it about a third full.

Highball

450ml, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: Spirits and mixers, gin and tonic, long cocktails like a mojito, soft drinks and water.

Tall and straight, with room for plenty of ice and mixer.

Pilsner

370ml stemmed, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: Lager, pilsner, pale ale and cider.

Tall and tapered to show the colour and hold the head.

Grappa

100ml long stem, Luigi Bormioli

Pour: Grappa, limoncello, liqueurs, dessert wine and aperitifs.

Small and long stemmed, made for sipping a small pour.

Three drinks that usually end up in the wrong glass

• Espresso martini in a tumbler. It is served without ice, so it belongs in a coupe. The stem keeps warm hands off a cold drink.
• Rosé in a big red glass. Use the white wine glass. Smaller pours stay colder, and rosé is best cold.
• Limoncello in a shot glass. It is meant to be sipped after dinner. A grappa glass holds a small, proper pour.

A whole bar from two or three styles

You do not need all eight. Most parties are covered by two or three:

• Two styles, any party: white wine glasses and highballs. Wine of either colour, spirits and mixers, beer at a pinch, soft drinks and water.
• Add a third for a celebration: coupes, for cocktails and the toast.
• A sit-down dinner: white, red and a highball for water at each setting.

Fewer styles means fewer crates, a simpler table and less to think about on the day.

A drinks table that photographs well

• Line glasses up by style, one style to a row, all facing the same way.
• Put the tall glasses at the back and the short ones at the front.
• Keep the crates out of sight. A tablecloth to the floor hides them under the table.
• Give the table one centrepiece, like a drink dispenser or an ice bucket, rather than lots of small things.
• Side light from a window or string lights makes glass sparkle. Light from straight above flattens it.
• Leave a gap for empties, so the good row stays good.

Which glasses suit which event

• Long lunch: white, red, and highballs for water.
• Engagement party: Palace flutes or coupes for the toast, white wine glasses and highballs.
• 40th in the backyard: white, red, pilsners and highballs.
• Wedding: see our wedding glassware page.

Not sure how many of each? The glass calculator works it out, or send us your plans and we will suggest the glasses and quote them.