wine glasses

Breweries have been known to design a signature glass for their beer, so is it that out of the ordinary for a winery to develop a signature wine glass to enhance the tasting experience of its wine? Argentinian winery Graffigna Centenario doesn't think so: it's partnered with stemware giant Riedel to develop a signature, six-month-exclusive glass for the winery's Malbec wines. We were sent a pair of the new glasses along with a bottle of Graffigna's Grand Reserve Malbec to taste the difference for ourselves. But to detect differences in the Malbec's scent and flavor, we poured it in three different glasses: a standard wine glass, a red wine stem glass from The One, and the Riedel Malbec glass. Would the new stemware help us taste the Malbec through rose-colored glasses? What flavors would it bring out in the glass, if any? Continue reading to see our results.

Too tired to clean up after a rousing dinner party? Make things easy on yourself and take one simple step to streamline the cleaning process come morning.

Red wine is notorious for staining everything from carpets to teeth to — you guessed it — wineglasses. Rather than necessitate a long scrubbing process (which might damage your crystal), simply pour a splash of water in all spent wine stems and leave them be until the morning after. Thanks to water's solvent properties, any residual red wine sediment will dissolve while you sleep off the nights excesses and make the arduous chore of cleaning up the next morning fly by.

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It can be a struggle to keep wine glasses looking as sparkly and clear as the day you bought them. The dishwasher is an absolute no-no, as it runs a greater risk of clouding, scratching, or (worst of all) breaking the glass. For the most effective way to wash the glasses, sterilize them in hot water with a splash of white vinegar, then set them out upside down to air dry. Want to streamline the process? Here are three kitchen tools designed specifically to help with the cleaning, drying, and polishing of wine glasses.

Stemware Cleaning Brush ($8) — This foamy brush will help lift lipstick and sticky red wine residue without scratching or damaging the glass. The elongated shape makes it easy to clean deep inside wine glasses and Champagne flutes. This sponge is also great for tall glasses and flower vases.

Take a look at two more wine cleaning products.

When hosting a dinner party, I like to break out the good china, cloth napkins, and expensive stemware. Although I don't use them everyday, when people are over, I pour wine in Riedel or Waterford glasses. It makes the occasion seem more special. The only downside is having to wash the glasses at the end of the evening. The delicate glasses are easy to break — especially if you don't know the proper technique for washing them. Read on for my tips.

I've always been enamored with Riedel glasses because of their large, delicate handblown bowls and the lyrical clinking noise they make when you toast with them. Still, I've wondered how much of a difference they make when it comes to evaluating and appreciating wine.

I had a chance to find out the answer to this question when PartySugar and I were invited to attend a wine glass tasting hosted by Maximilian Riedel himself. There, the CEO (and 11th-generation Riedel glassmaker) introduced us to the company's latest collection, Vitis, and challenged us to taste and compare popular wines using the Vitis grape-specific glasses to decide if shape truly made a difference. Did it? Find out when you read more.

I don't think anyone really enjoys washing wine glasses. But, if you drink wine, you'll have glasses to wash. While I have an assortment of glasses, some of which I put in the dishwasher, the nice stemware must be washed by hand. I used to wash them with really hot water until I realized it made the glasses very easy to break. Now I always wash wine glasses with soapy lukewarm water. It keeps the delicate glass from shattering in your hands.

Do you have a tip for cleaning wine glasses? Please share with us below!