Well, there are some benefits to the varying styles of wine glass but in truth if you stick to a few, fairly simple rules we feel confident that you’ll be absolutely fine.
Part of the joy of wine appreciation is observing the colour; its brightness, depth and gradation. You can tell much about wine by just having a good look at it so steer well clear of coloured glasses, cut glass and those that are made of any material that doesn’t allow you to look through it.
Stemless wine glasses are around but for us they’re a no-no because they mean your grubby fingerprints get all over the glass, it inhibits your view of the wine and - in the case of white wine - you’ll find it warming up faster than if you were holding a stem instead.
Small glasses are frustrating because they don’t allow you to swirl the wine adequately to release the aromas that are so key in the enjoyment of a glass of wine. It also goes without saying that too small a glass will make for mean volumes and that’s never fun.
Crystal glasses are favoured by many wine drinkers because they are durable even when they are thin and at the rim of the glass this makes for a rather more pleasing experience than having thicker glass on your lips. It’s not a rule, but crystal - if you can afford it - is the way to go, though be prepared for a lot of hand washing!
And when it comes to cleaning your glasses, it’s crucial that if you use detergent that you clean it off the glassware completely. Once you’re all done put your glasses away and store them upright because keeping them downturned traps dust and stale air which means you’ll need to clean them all again before your next glass of wine.