They go into the dishwasher and come out in one piece. The red and white glasses are thin, but felt sturdy enough that I never worried about breaking them. This little glass (the company is owned by Riedel now, though it was once their biggest competition!) outperformed much more expensive glasses with its thin lip, excellent bowl for swirling, and ability to concentrate aromas. $69 at Target Best Wine Glass for the Casual Wine Drinker: Spiegelau Vino Grande

Since the white wine glass performed pretty much equally to the Zalto, you could consider buying the more expensive glass for your reds and opting for this mid-tier pick for white wines. That said, Riedel claims these are dishwasher-safe, but unless you plan to make these stemless glasses (My take on that below!), the stem is imminently breakable. But what it lacks in whatever magic of the Zalto is, it makes up for in affordability and the fact that this glass is less nerve-racking to drink from. It doesn’t improve the wine or allow the more intricate notes to come out. The difference between this and the Zalto, for reds specifically, is that the Veritas doesn’t add the nuance and subtleties the Zalto does. The Veritas does exactly what a great glass should do: allow ample swirling room and enhance the wine’s natural characteristics for both the white glass and the red. The white wine glass enhances the aromas of German Riesling, Italian whites like Fiano, and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Fuller whites were even slightly better in this one than in the Zalto. The Pinot Noir glass did equally well with red Burgundy, Nebbiolo, Bordeaux and more tannic reds. This glass is still fragile thanks to a spindly stem the company has become known for, but the leaded crystal has a slightly sturdier construction than the Zalto while still boasting a narrow rim that feels luxurious and comfortable for sipping. Okay, so, it’s no Zalto, but the Riedel Veritas is half the cost and was a consistent runner-up in test after test. $74 at Wine Enthusiast Slightly Less Money but Still Great: Riedel Veritas It’s beyond fragile and using this glass is a bit unnerving, but in test after test with wine after wine, it not only allowed the wine to express itself, but in many cases it made the wine taste better than all the other glasses. It is made of mouth blown, nonleaded crystal it’s incredibly light and it’s shaped like a piece of art. Zalto is widely considered the gold standard of glassware by wine connoisseurs and professionals alike. We’ve also included a primer on the merits of different wine glass shapes. Certain glass shapes and materials do enhance wine’s aroma and flavor-and some even detract from it! I tested several highly regarded wine glasses and found the best premium, mid-tier, and affordable options for all kinds of wine drinkers.Īhead, discover all the winners and a thorough breakdown of our testing methods. I guess we should start with the most important question: Does a glass really make a difference to a wine’s taste? After copious research and testing, I can tell you that glassware does matter to your enjoyment of wine.

Gold wine glasses