WINE 101: How To Hold A Wine Glass

No, really. This is a thing. And it’s probably one of the first useful things I learned when getting into wine because if you’re in a room of people who “know” their wine it quickly shows you up as someone who does - or rather, doesn’t.

Never hold your wine glass by the bowl. Always hold it by the stem – or if you’re feeling particularly devilishly debonair, by the base.

Unlike many useless etiquette rules however - there’s also a valid reason. Two, in fact.

1) It keeps your glass clean. No sticky finger prints mucking up the glassware should you need to inspect your wine from the side… and importantly for those social media shots.

2) It keeps your wine cool. Wine can be such a delicate concoction that even the heat of your hands can affect it – warming wines to temperatures that just aren’t going to taste as good. Keep your wine at its optimum temperature and therefore taste.

And if you’ve been served your wine in a tumbler or hipster-friendly jam jar? Then try to hold it as close to the base as possible.

(All this to say, at the end of the day, it is YOUR wine and your drinking experience – so as long as you’re enjoying what’s in your glass, hold it as you see fit and keep sipping!)