When you are handed a glass of wine you take it, it’s wine. But, is there a proper way to hold your wine glass? Yes! And, it largely depends on the kind of wine that you are sipping.

Benefits of Holding the Base

A standard wine glass should be grasped closer to the base than the bowl. Grasping the base itself allows you to swirl your wine allowing you to truly experience all the flavors. Swirling it comfortably from the base also allows air to come in contact with it, opening up the bouquet.

A stemless wine glass is also held close to the base of the glass. Some tend to think, “why not hold a glass of wine however you desire, does it even matter?” Well, wine etiquette and wine experts agree that to solidly enjoy all that wine has to offer you should keep your grasp on a wine glass as close to the base as possible. An added benefit is the fact that it will prevent fingerprints from hindering you, a wine enthusiast, from taking the wine in through your eyes, observing the various layers of color and the legs. Plus, it just looks nicer, lol! Besides allowing a better grasp on your wine glass there are other reasons why these etiquette rules apply.

Types of Wine

For example, the different types of wine are most flavorful at different temperatures. Red wines are best at just under room temperature, white wines and champagne are best chilled to about 55 degrees. Knowing this explains why you don’t want to hold the wine glass closer to the bowl. Your body heat would transfer to the wine and warm it past its prime. However, there are rare occasions that a glass of wine is overly chilled. In that case, grasping under the bowl would help the wine to open up and warm up just enough, then you would want to change your grasp back to closer to the base.

When your out and about, drinking wine, try having a flat surface nearby such as a bar or table, to allow you to set your drink down between sips. This will give your hands a rest from holding your glass. It also helps your drink last longer due to it not always being in your grasp, where we all tend to guzzle while not realizing it. Also, when your wine is first served, decide what spot you will drink from, and don’t stray. Otherwise, lipstick, lip prints, or spittle may cling to the rim of your glass. No one wants that!

While there are many reasons to hold your glass of wine properly, the most important rule in the book, is to enjoy the experience. Cheers!