9 Best Wine Glasses of 2023, According to Experts

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Drinking wine out of a red Solo cup may do in a pinch, but it’s not a great look when actual grown people come to your house. If it’s time to level up your stemware, you may wonder, “What are the best wine glasses? Does it even matter?” The answer is as clear as hand-blown crystal: Yes, the wine glass matters. A great glass can elevate your wine drinking experience, even for an inexpensive bottle. On the flip side, the wrong glass can dull a stellar wine’s brilliance. If you're searching for the best red wine glasses, best white wine glasses, or something more all-purpose, we've got you covered.

A few elements that set the best wine glasses apart are the shape, size and thinness. These factors very much affect how your senses perceive the wine (science!). Other factors, like the material and weight of the glass and length of the stem, can play a role in the enjoyment. We tapped some of the top sommeliers in the country to weigh in on what to look for when shopping for the best wine glasses.

According to Aldo Sohm, wine director at Le Bernardin restaurant and Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York City, drinking wine from a superior glass is like listening to music on an advanced speaker system versus something you inherited from your grandfather. No matter how phenomenal your wine is, you may not be able to taste all the nuances if it’s poured in the wrong glass. Whether it’s for the best sparkling wines or the trendiest natural wine, you deserve to have the stemware equivalent of Dolby surround sound to enjoy your vino to the max.

Tritan Pure Cabernet Wine Glasses

Made with patented Tritan crystal, which is strengthened with titanium and zirconium oxides, according to the producer, these all-purpose glasses offer incredible durability and elegance at an approachable price point ($16 per glass). Sommelier Braithe Tidwell uses these glasses at Brennan’s in New Orleans. “It has a longer stem, which gives the glass a nice appearance on the table,” Tidwell says. “Having the taller bowl is really important to getting the full bouquet of the wine,” she explains. She also praised the stem for being sturdy enough to support the glass when polishing.

Material: Crystal glass | Capacity: 18.2 ounces | Height: 9.63 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 6 | Price per glass: ~$16

Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay and Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glasses

This economical set includes six glasses each for red and white wines, costing just $3.67 per glass. It's a collection that's ideal for large gatherings, where you want “real glasses” at a price point that won’t leave you in tears if someone breaks a stem or two. However, the glasses are not sold individually so you'll have to buy a complete set for any replacements.

Material: Glass | Capacity: 19.7 ounces (red wine glass); 18 ounces (white wine glass) | Height: 8.2 inches (red wine glass); 8.9 inches (white wine glass) | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 12 | Price per glass: ~$4

Vinum Zinfandel/Riesling/Chianti Glasses

While this glass was intended to enhance the drinking of Zinfandel, Riesling and Chianti, in particular, it performed well for most white wines in our testing of various wines. The narrower bowl with smaller opening helps concentrate aromas, enriching the wine drinking experience. Along with the shorter stem, the dimensions of this glass are a boon for those tight on storage space. The set of two is on the pricier side (about $30 per glass), which for some may be too spendy for everyday use.

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 14.11 ounces | Height: 8.27 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 2 | Price per glass: ~$30

Nattie Red Wine Glass

“Nattie” is a reference to natural wine but this elegant-yet-affordable glass works well for all kinds of red wine, whether it's natural or made conventionally. The glasses are pretty durable but should one break, it’s easy to replace by purchasing a single glass — which was bundled tightly and arrived intact. The same can't be said for the set of eight glasses that arrived mostly shattered. The culprit? Glasses being shipped without individual wrapping in a flimsy cardboard box with thin dividers.

Material: Glass | Capacity: 18 ounces | Height: 9 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 1 | Price per glass: ~$5

Stand’art Universal Glasses

The resonant chime of crystal wine glasses clinking is one of the joys of raising a toast but be prepared to shell out a little more that sound. That said, this set of two from Austrian producer Gabriel-Glas overdelivers for the price. The glass looks fragile but the lead-free crystal (a lighter form of crystal glass), which makes it surprisingly durable and able to be pulled thinner than leaded crystal. The result is a super thin rim that lets the wine travel almost seamlessly to the palate. The exaggerated tulip shape features an ample bowl with sloped sides to enhance the aromas and flavor of wine, from sparkling and delicate whites all the way to bold reds. However, that shape can be divisive and not to everyone's liking.

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 16 ounces | Height: 9 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 2 | Price per glass: ~$34

Veloce Cabernet

If you’re looking for an aesthetic upgrade on the Riedel Vinum, try Riedel Veloce Stemware Collection, which won a Good Housekeeping Kitchen Gear Award in 2022. “The glass is so stunning with a really skinny stem,” says Nicole Papantoniou, Director of the GH Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab. “It’s more of a special occasion wine glass and worth investing in if you really like a specific varietal of wine because each type of wine glass is created to best bring out the aroma and taste of a particular wine varietal.” She notes that this glass has a more angular design and is lighter, with a thinner stem and a finer bowl.

Material: Lead-free crystal | Capacity: 14.1 ounces | Height: 9.72 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 2 | Price per glass: ~$45

Tritan Crystal Glass Forte Universal Tumblers

Stemless glasses are a practical choice for those who’ve knocked one too many wine glasses onto a laptop or white rug. While sticklers may balk at holding a wine glass by the bowl (your hand may warm the wine), some sommeliers like its durability for home use. Tidwell received stemless glasses as a wedding gift in 2007 and, while the marriage did not last, the glasses are still intact today. The ones from Schott Zwiesel are super sturdy and versatile enough to double as rocks glasses for the best whiskeys, margaritas or other classic cocktails.

Material: Crystal glass | Capacity: 19.1 ounces | Height: 5 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 6 | Price per glass: ~$10

Unbreakable Elegant Plastic Stemless Wine Glasses

Maybe you’re drinking outdoors or have rowdy kids or pets, whatever the case, plastic wine glasses are a safe option — just like Kimmy Schmidt, they’re unbreakable (well, nearly). They're also meant to be reused, making them more sustainable than disposable plastic cups. The stemless design from Vivocci, true to their billing, look elegant at the pool, picnic or patio. Each one has a sturdy base to help prevent tipping over and the plastic can endure the heat of the dishwasher without warping or melting. While no one will mistake these for real glass, one tell-tale sign that they're plastic is the visible seams running along the sides.

Material: Tritan | Capacity: 20 ounces | Height: 4.75 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 4 | Price per glass: ~$7

Denk'Art Universal Glass

The holy grail for many sommeliers, this stunning hand-blown crystal glass is super thin, super light and super pricy. The nearly paper thin rim makes for a seamless wine drinking experience while the dimensions bring out the best in a wide range of wines. These are the glasses you want to use for a special occasion or for an extraordinary bottle of wine. They’d also be a much-appreciated gift for the wine lover in your life.

Material: Hand-blown crystal | Capacity: 17.9 ounces | Height: 9.3 inches | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Set: 1 | Price per glass: ~$78

How we chose the best wine glasses

Experts in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab are constantly using and testing wine glasses in the Kitchen, Lab and homes as well as at restaurants, bars and tasting rooms. We compare different styles and brands, tasting various wines, to evaluate the feel of the glass in the hand, durability and enhancement of the wine drinking experience, among other factors. To compile this list, we relied on our in-house testing and 40+ hours of research, sourcing favorites from editors and investigating additional top-rated brands and popular models. In total, we considered more than 50 different glasses before narrowing our list to the top nine.

What to look for when shopping for wine glasses

✔️ Thickness: “I look for thinness in glasses,” says Sohm. “When the glass is thin and light, the focus is on the wine.” A thin rim on a glass will indeed ease the transition of the wine from glass to mouth for a smooth, more seamless drinking experience. Typically, the thinnest wine glasses will be made from crystal, whose mineral content makes it more malleable and resilient than glass.

✔️ Durability: Tidwell prioritizes durability and strength in a wine glass. She always asks, “Does it have a sturdy stem and a good base to it?” when looking for glasses. She prefers ones with a little weight to them because they need that on restaurant dining tables. A heavier glass also means that it can stand up to some dishwashing and getting knocked around.

✔️ Stem: For the length of the stem, Tidwell wants “something you can grasp pretty easily.” The stem is what you'll be holding when swirling the wine in the glass. It should be sturdy enough to grip firmly while polishing the glass. A longer stem looks elegant on the table but it also has a functional purpose: creating a physical distance between the bowl of the glass and your hand, which can warm the wine. However, a stem that's too long and thin may be fragile and easier to tip over the glass. It's best to consider which stem length best suits your lifestyle and if that means foregoing the stem, then so be it. Having stemless glasses that are intact is better than broken stemmed glasses. This is especially true for drinking outdoors, where knocking a wine glass on the ground is less forgiving.

✔️ Height: Another practical consideration is the height of the glass. Will it fit in your cabinet? There’s nothing worse than picking out a beautiful set of stemware only to find out they’re too tall for your shelves. Before committing to a particular style of glass, measure the distance between shelves, allowing some head room for what will sit on them.

✔️ Price: What to pay for a wine glass really depends on what you can afford. We found good, serviceable glasses for as little as $3.67 per glass. But if you want to level all the way up and go super high-end, you could pay as much as $78 per glass. We found great picks between those two price ranges.

✔️ Material: Again, the material you choose will depend on your budget. How much you spend can also correlate to your enjoyment of the wine, but that doesn't mean the priciest glass is the best for everyone. From least to most expensive material:

• Plastic: Pretty much shatterproof, even when dropped on the ground, plastic wine glasses are ideal for outdoor drinking — and that might be its only perk. Plastic glasses don't enhance the wine drinking experience. In fact, they detract from it because plastic imparts its own smell and taste. It's a bit of a party pooper for wine.

• Glass (borosilicate and soda-lime): Durable and accessible, wine glasses made from glass are the workhorses in a stemware collection. However, glass needs to be fairly thick to be durable, so a glass wine glass won't have that smooth transition of wine to mouth that finer crystal glasses tend to have. Glass is also less refractive (sparkly) than crystal.

• Crystal (machine-blown): Made in molds simultaneously, machine-blown crystal wine glasses are a more affordable choice than their hand-blown counterparts. They are able to be spun very thin for that coveted thin rim in the best wine glasses, while still be durable — more so than hand-blown crystal glasses. On the flip side, machine-blown glasses have a "factory-made" look.

• Crystal (hand-blown/mouth-blown): As the name suggests, hand-blown crystal wine glasses are made one at a time by hand by a skilled artisan, hence the steep price tag. They have an ethereal look and unmatched sparkle, with graceful lines that reveal the artistry involved. To many wine experts, hand-blown crystal is the Rolls-Royce of materials for wine glasses. They're prized for being lightweight and super thin for the optimal wine drinking experience. However, those features also make hand-blown crystal wine glasses more fragile.

What are the main types of wine glasses?

At the most basic level, there are two main types of glasses: one for red wines and one for white. A glass for red wine tends to have a more capacious bowl with a larger opening than one for white wine. Truth be told, you can use one type of wine glass for all wines, but “certain shapes enhance certain varieties of wine,” says Sohm.

Larger bowls found in red wine glasses help aerate wine, letting the flavors open up and announce themselves. White wine glasses have a relatively smaller bowl because they generally don't require the aeration that their red counterparts do.

What are the different types of wine glasses?

✔️ Burgundy (Pinot Noir) glass: The classic Burgundy glass has a distinctive balloon-shaped bowl that tapers at the top to capture the lovely aromas of a red Burgundy (Pinot Noir). That tapering channels the wine to hit the tip of your tongue then disperse it to the sides. This targeted delivery is meant to balance the wine’s fruit with the acidity — key for Pinot Noir, which tends to be high in acidity.

✔️ Bordeaux (Cabernet) glass: A Bordeaux glass is designed to be optimal for drinking — you guessed it — Bordeaux (predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot). This glass will be less bulbous/tapered than the Burgundy glass so that more oxygen can aerate the wine inside. Introducing that air is crucial for Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines, which tend to be high in tannin and alcohol. The bowl is also taller to allow for more room at the top to swirl and decant the wine further in an effort to soften the tannins. The column-like shape is designed to deliver the wine evenly across your tongue.

✔️ White wine glass: This category could be divided by varietal (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and so on), the gist is: Most white wine glasses tend to be smaller than red wine glasses because most whites don’t require the aeration that reds do. The shorter bowl brings the wine closer to the nose, helping you detect more subtle aromas, like delicate floral notes. White wine glasses tend to have a longer stem than those for red wine to keep the hand further away from the bowl and prevent it from warming the wine.

✔️ Champagne flute: The narrow shape of a flute captures the bubbles of sparkling wine and helps keep the signature effervescence. While a flute is iconic, one downside is that it doesn’t allow for swirling and can, therefore, mute the aromas. Despite the name, the flute is not the go-to glass for Champagne among many wine experts. “Flutes are celebratory and fun but I definitely recommend a white wine glass for Champagne,” says Braithe Tidwell, wine director at New Orleans restaurant Brennan’s, whose wine list boasts more than 150 Champagnes. “It’s a wine that should be taken seriously and deserves a proper glass where you can pick up on all the different aromas.”Aldo Sohm also favors a white wine glass for Champagne while his wife prefers a flute. “She thinks it looks hot and has an elegance,” he says. “Some people are attached to Champagne flutes — that's okay with me."

How many different types of glasses do you need?

While you could have a glass for each varietal of wine, it isn’t feasible in most homes nor is it necessary, according to many wine experts. “I'm a little bit more minimalist,” says Sohm, “mainly because I live in New York City where real estate is precious.” He believes all you need are Bordeaux, Burgundy and white wine glasses. Perhaps a set of Champagne flutes, if you’re adamant about them. Or, if you only want one type of glass, consider a
"universal" wine glass that's suitable for reds, whites and sparkling.

Sohm's approach to whittling down his collection is similar to what wardrobe experts recommend for decluttering a closet: “Within a year, look at the glass shapes you use most often. If it boils down to less than a handful, that's pretty much your answer.” Similarly, when shopping for wine glasses, think about the wines you drink the most. That should inform what kind of glasses to buy.

Do expensive wine glasses make a difference?

While ultimately you should only shell out what you can afford for glassware, and some of our top picks are around $4 per glass, Sohm (who is a brand ambassador Zalto, the maker of the $78 glass) believes you will experience more from wine with the best wine glass. “People have no problem spending $50 on a bottle of wine but spending $50 to $70 on a glass is absolutely impossible for some reason,” he remarks.

At Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, he will pour unknowing guests the same wine in two different glasses to prove a point. When they say they prefer the wine in the more expensive glass, they inevitably want to only drink out of that glass. “This is the problem with luxury,” says Sohm. “Once you touch it, everything else feels like a beer mug.”

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Susan Choung is a recipe editor for Good Housekeeping, where she reports on all things related to wine and spirits. Her previous experience includes four years working at a boutique wine and spirits shop in Brooklyn, New York, where tasting and evaluating samples was a daily occurrence. During her five-year tenure as books editor at Food & Wine, she tasted, edited and coordinated testing of all beverage recipes for the cocktail book series. For this piece, she interviewed Braithe Tidwell, beverage director for Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, New Orleans, and Aldo Sohm, wine director for Le Bernardin restaurant and Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, New York City; brand ambassador for Zalto glassware.

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