A complete bar set includes different styles of glasses in which to serve a variety of red, white, and other types of wine. Before you open your own establishment, you may want to learn more about wine glasses and what styles to include with your own bar collection.

Each of these glass styles has its own unique design and purpose.

An Overview of Wine Glasses

Wine glasses feature dimensions and shapes that distinct them from glasses used to serve spirits. The parts of a typical wine glass include the:

• Foot, or base of the wine glass. The foot allows the wine glass to stand upright
  
• Stem, which is situated between the foot and the bowl. It allows the glass to be held without the hand coming into contact with the bowl and warming the wine
  
• Bowl, which is the part of the glass that holds the wine. Most wine glasses have wide mouths and narrow bases to enhance the aroma and flavor of the wine
  
• Rim, or the tip of the bowl. A high-quality wine glass should have a rim that is not bumpy or rolled that could interrupt sipping the wine
  

The highest quality wine glasses are crystal clear to enhance the color and beauty of the wine.

Types of Wine Glasses

Wine glasses come in several different styles, all of which have their own distinct style and purpose. The most common varieties of wine glasses used today are:

• Large red wine glass: The large red wine glass has a wide mouth that allows the wine to breathe. It also provides air exposure to the wine. The large red wine glass is ideal for serving wines like aged Pinor Noir and Albariño. It can also be used to serve Barolo and Burgandy.
  
• Small red wine glass: The small red wine glass has a narrower mouth than the large red wine glass. This particular glass directs the bouquet of the wine to the person’s nose. It is used most often to serve wines like Sangiovese, Shiraz, and other fruity wines.
  
• Large white wine glass: The large white wine glass is smaller in size than either of the red wine glasses. It has a wide bowl that enhances the aroma of the white wine. The large white wine glass is used to serve Chardonnays and Bordeaux Blanc.
  
• Small white wine glass: The small white wine glass is used to serve wines like Reisling and Gewurtzraminer. Its tall and narrow shape enhance the aroma of the wine served in it.
  
• Flute: The flute is a type of wine glass that is tall and slender. The length of the glass enhances the bubbles of the beverage it holds. It also concentrates the aroma of the wine. Flutes are most often used to serve wines like champagne, Asti, and Prosecco.
  
• Dessert wine glass: The dessert wine glass is smaller than red and white wine glasses. It has a deeper, rounder bowl and is ideal for serving sweet wines like Muscat and icewine.
  
• Port wine glass: The port wine glass is a shorter and stouter variety of wine glass. Its unique shape allows for the full display of the wine. It also brings the bouquet of the wine to the person’s nose. It is used to fortified wines.
  
• Sherry wine glass: The sherry wine glass is the smallest of all of the wine glasses. Its tulip shape is designed to capture the aroma of the sherry.
  

While these wine glasses are among the most common ones used today, you may add a few others to finish your wine glass collection. Some of the other varieties available to you include the:

• Vintage
  
• Rose
  
• Hock
  
• Alsace
  
• Tumbler
  
• Madeira
  
• Standard sweet
  

A successful bar should be able to meet the expectations and demands of its customers. By including these varieties of wine glasses in your bar glass collection, you can serve white, red, and other types of wine to your clients. Each of these glass styles has its own unique design and purpose. The type of wine ordered by the customer will determine the style of glass that you use in which to serve it.