One of the most common questions I am asked is about stemware. Everyone seems to want to know the best wine glasses to buy. For years, I would probe with questions and deduce the most ideal glass based on someone’s drinking preferences. Then I met the universal wine glass, by Gabriel Glas. My Gold Edition wine glass arrived on my porch and I was immediately in love. The incredibly lightweight and seamless crystal glass sparkled when I removed it from its black packaging. I cleaned my glasses, which are dishwasher safe by the way, and took them with me to my next wine tasting.
Is any wine glass truly universal?
I had heard of universal wine tasting glasses before, but frankly, I did not believe it. You’re trying to tell me that I can drink champagne followed by madeira then a pinot gris and a syrah all from the same glass? Yeah right!
So, the day I received my one-size-fits-all tasting glasses, I took them to a tasting. We tasted eight delicious French Wines. We started with Champagne.
Low and behold, this wine glass exemplified champaign quite beautifully. The tulip point at the bottom allowed the bubbles to effervesce towards the surface. With a bit wider bowl than a flute, the aromas were more easily captured on the nose. We then navigated through Chablis and Scancerre, white Burgundy, rosé du Provence, Beaujolais, both banks of Bordeaux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Cornas. Wow! Across the board, the tasting experience was exquisite.
To top off this experience, I poured some 1996 Madeira into my glass…yes I know this is not French, but I had to know. Shockingly the tasting experience was unbeatable. I was sold!
The Best Wine Glass to Buy for Tasting
Whether you plan on hosting wine tastings in your home or you are looking for the one glass fits all, I must say, the Gabriel Glas takes the cake. I’ve tried countless wine stemware from various manufacturers. There are some great options out there, especially for varietal specific stemware. However, if you are looking to just stock your cupboards with one wine glass for all occasions, the best option is to purchase a universal tasting glass.
How to Polish Stemware – The Advantage of Crystal
Polishing wine glasses is a critical element in preparing wine for service or setting up for the perfect dinner party. Glass wine stemware is a great solution but often gets water spots. One of the advantages of crystal wine glasses is the fact that they are clearer than glass and sparkle. Crystal makes polishing super simple. You can use the Wine Buff or other polishing cloth to buff up your glassware before serving.
One of my favorites aspects of Gabriel Glas is the ability to stick them in the dishwasher. Even though they feel thin and fragile, they truly are durable. On of the advantages of being seamless, mouth-blown crystal is the fact they are less likely to break. Honestly, when I first received my universal tasting glasses, I did not believe the fact they would be durable. However, I have been exceedingly surprised at their strength and resiliency for everyday use.