To fully appreciate the delicate flavours of each bottle of wine you sample, it is essential that the glass you use is thoroughly clean. Any residue left behind may tamper with the taste of the wine and affect your overall drinking experience. Below are a few tips on how to make your glasses as clean as crystal before you pour.
Wine glasses matter
Common convention holds that you should drink different types of wine out of different glasses. You should consume Champagne, for instance, from a flute but you should opt for wide-brimmed glassware for a red vintage. This is because the shape of a wine glass matters, it acts as a filter and alters the way a particular vintage smells and tastes.
Whichever glass you drink your wine from, it is important that it is washed completely before use. Letting a water spot dry on crystal glassware can cause a permanent blemish, limiting your ability to observe the colour of your next vintage clearly.
Caring for glasses
Viticulture information portal Winefolly has posted a video tutorial which shows you how to clean your wine glasses properly. Use the following tips to ensure your glassware sparkles:
- Use a sponge and warm soapy water to clean your glass by hand. This will ensure that you can pay attention to the detail needed to get the vessel spotless.
- Make sure you scrub delicately on any handprints on the outside of the bell of the glass, as well as its rim.
- Rinse and sterilise your glass in a solution which consists of one tablespoon of bleach and one gallon of water. This will remove any bacteria which could damage the flavour of future wines.
- Use a flour sack to dry your wine glass carefully. Then polish the glassware so you can ensure that any lingering water spots or handprints are completely removed from the vessel.
Crystal glasses can be really porous, so they have a habit of absorbing aromas easily. Make sure you use scent-free cleaning agents so these glasses remain aroma-less after washing. Also if you have a habit of leaving your dishes overnight, add water to your glasses before you go to bed. This will ensure that any leftover wine droplets don’t evaporate and stain the glass before you can wash it.
Enjoy red wine
At Ideal Wine Company we love a glass of red and stock a large range. Red wine stains however can be particularly difficult to remove. Making sure you glass is cleaned thoroughly before each use can result in a beautiful glass of wine every time which is perfect in colour and full in flavour.
