Choosing the Right Wine Glass Shape this Holiday Season!

It’s the holiday season and the table’s laid, the candles lit, the laughter already rising. This year, let’s make sure that when the cork pops and the wine pours, we’re not just enjoying the bottles—we’re enhancing the moment by choosing the right wine glass shape. I recently recorded a fun and insightful podcast conversation - (and video soon to be on my YouTube channel) with sommelier and Italian wine expert Cynthia Chaplin, and I want to share the key take-aways here so your table shines and your sip delivers.

Wine glass shapes from Cynthia Chaplin's collection — Cynthia Chaplin's wine glass collection, various shapes

Why wine glass shape matters

The shape of your wine glass isn’t just decorative—it actively affects aroma, taste, texture, and even how your guests perceive the wine. As Cynthia pointed out, the rim thickness (lip to rim ratio), the bowl size, the shoulder of the glass—all of it matters. A thinner rim allows more direct contact with the wine; a broadly-shouldered glass allows more air in; a narrow top keeps scent and bubbles (perlage) in.

Take sparkling wine, for example. You may have beautiful flutes stacked for the optics—but those may not be doing the wine justice. The classic tall, narrow flute looks festive, but Cynthia says that for fine bubbly you’re better off with a tulip-shape glass. That tulip shape gives you air space, captures aromas, and keeps bubbles alive longer—so your wine not only looks celebratory, but tastes better.

And when you’re choosing for the holidays—when you may have guests, mixed wines, sparkling, white, red—it pays to have at least one go-to glass shape that works across styles. According to our chat, that glass is the tulip. It offers a decent balance of bowl, rim, and shoulder so you’re not switching glasses mid-meal.

The top holiday picks for the right wine glass

Here are some practical recommendations based on our conversation:

Tulip-shaped all-purpose glass: If you buy only one glass style this season, go with a tulip glass. It works well with reds, whites, sparkling, and rosés. It gives a broader bowl (for aroma) and a slightly closed top (for focus).
Red wine (wide bowl) glass: For full-bodied reds, select a glass with a wide bowl and a generous shoulder. This allows the wine to breathe, the aromas to expand, and gives you more surface area for the wine to interact with air. It’s perfect for more robust wines you might serve over a slow-roast holiday meal.
White or sparkling wine glass: Here the emphasis shifts: a somewhat narrower bowl but still a decent shoulder helps maintain aroma and temperature. And for bubbly, the tulip wins again—don’t rely solely on the ultra-narrow flute if you want your sparkling wine to shine.
Dessert & specialty glasses: Yes, you may love your fancy coupe or stem-glass for dessert wines or mousse or granita, but be aware: these glasses may look glamorous, but they often lack the technical benefits of the tulip or wide‐bowl glasses when it comes to aroma or preserving bubbles.

Wine glass shape to choose according to Wine Folly — Photo credit: https://winefolly.com/tips/types-of-wine-glasses/

Table-setting tips with the right wine glass shape

As you prepare your holiday table, keep in mind: clarity matters. Cynthia noted that colored or patterned glasses may look festive, but they hide the wine’s color, which itself carries information—especially useful for your guests if you’re also discussing the wines or their provenance. So go clear, especially for serious wine-serving.

Balance matters too: a good glass is well-balanced in hand—stem, base, bowl matching together so that when you swirl, sniff, and sip, you feel confident. If a glass feels unstable in hand, you may be distracted by design rather than enjoying the wine.

And finally: Be honest about how you’ll use the glasses. If you’ll put them in the dishwasher, buy sturdy glasses. If you’ll host adult dinners and display glassware, you might invest in finer stems—but know that thinner stems break easier, especially in a lively holiday setting.

Holiday wine glass checklist

Decide: will I serve sparkling, white, red, dessert? Then pick glasses accordingly.
For mixed wines and versatility, choose a tulip-shaped glass.
For serious reds, go wide-bowl, generous shoulder.
For sparkling: tulip over ultra-narrow flute for best aroma & bubble retention.
Clear glass only (if you want to highlight colour).
Ensure rim is thin, stem is well-balanced, bowl shoulder appropriate.
Match glasses to your lifestyle: dishwasher-safe vs delicate crystal.
Place one or two types on table ahead so guests know what to use.

The Wine Cellar Group Guide to the right wine glass shape — Photo credit: Infographic: ‘Types of Wine Glasses’ (Irma Wallace / Infographic Journal)

Final thoughts

When it comes to wine glass shape, let this be your mantra: the right shape doesn’t just look good—it works for aroma, taste, bubbles, and overall experience. And if you're going to invest in one style this season, make it the tulip shape—it’s the holiday multitasker of stemware. But above all: choose what you like, what works for your evening, your table, and your guests. The glass should make the wine sing, but it should also reflect the spirit of your celebration.

Here’s to glasses raised, laughter echoing, wine flowing—and the perfect wine glass shape adding just that extra sparkle to your holiday table.