{"id":368628,"date":"2026-09-15T10:57:58","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T08:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/?p=368628"},"modified":"2026-09-15T11:13:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T09:13:31","slug":"wine-glasses-for-restaurants-how-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wine-glasses-for-restaurants-how-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose Wine Glasses for Restaurants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#why-the-right-glass-matters-in-wine-service\">Why the Right Glass Matters in Wine Service<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#anatomy-of-a-wine-glass-bowl-stem-base-and-rim\">Anatomy of a Wine Glass: Bowl, Stem, Base and Rim<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#shapes-and-how-they-match-the-wine\">Shapes and How They Match the Wine<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#durability-and-commercial-dishwashing\">Durability and Commercial Dishwashing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#building-the-glassware-for-the-dining-room\">Building the Glassware for the Dining Room<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#request-the-catalogue\">Request the catalogue<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing wine glasses for restaurants means weighing three requirements together: the <strong>bowl<\/strong> has to suit the wines on the list, the <strong>capacity<\/strong> has to carry the pour, and the <strong>durability<\/strong> has to keep up with the pace of service and with the wash cycle. Then there is the pleasure of holding a glass that looks right, which shows in service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide is written for anyone putting together or renewing the glassware of a restaurant, a wine bar or a venue that serves wine by the glass. It starts from the words that recur in product sheets, moves on to shapes and capacities, and ends with the choices that concern the dining room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-the-right-glass-matters-in-wine-service\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Right Glass Matters in Wine Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The way a wine is perceived changes with the glass it is poured into, and the reason is purely physical. The width of the bowl sets the level of oxygenation, and a wide surface lets the aromatic compounds of more complex wines open up. A narrower, more slender bowl suits delicate wines, because it concentrates the bouquet upwards and keeps the most volatile notes from dispersing before they reach the nose. The rim matters too, since it governs how the wine reaches the palate. A thin, slightly flared profile lets the liquid run in a continuous thread that spreads gently over the tongue; a thicker edge releases it all at once and makes the first sip more assertive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In professional service there is also the way the glass is handled. Over time a glass goes through countless journeys from the tray to the table and on to the dishwasher, which is why weight, balance and the stability of the base count as much as the shape of the bowl. This is the double requirement the glasses of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/marchio\/borgoforte-en\/\">Borgoforte brand<\/a> are designed around, bringing together the qualities expected of a good tasting glass and the durability that service in the dining room and repeated wash cycles call for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"anatomy-of-a-wine-glass-bowl-stem-base-and-rim\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anatomy of a Wine Glass: Bowl, Stem, Base and Rim<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When new ranges are under assessment, reading the product sheets is the first step towards an informed purchase. Four technical terms recur in every price list and catalogue, and knowing them makes the comparison between two models immediate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bowl.<\/strong> This is the part that holds the wine. Volume and opening govern oxygenation and the way the aromas concentrate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stem.<\/strong> This is the part that is held. It keeps the hand away from the wine and protects its serving temperature.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Base, or foot.<\/strong> This is the support. Diameter and weight give stability on the table and on the tray.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rim.<\/strong> This is the upper band of the bowl, where the glass meets the lip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond these four elements, every product sheet states capacity, height, diameter and total weight. These are the measurements that make glasses from different ranges comparable, and they reveal in advance how each one will behave in service and in washing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"shapes-and-how-they-match-the-wine\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shapes and How They Match the Wine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shape of the bowl follows the wine that goes into it, and the principle is always the same. The more a wine needs air and space to open, the wider the bowl. In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/\">catalogue<\/a> the glasses for professional service are gathered under the Borgoforte brand, which covers the whole scale, from the flute to the tasting bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wide bowl, from 60 cl upwards.<\/strong> Structured reds and wines for ageing, which find in the volume the air they need to express themselves. In Borgoforte these are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/signoria-64\/\">Signoria 64<\/a> and 70, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/mistral-64\/\">Mistral 64<\/a> and 70, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/baroque-70\/\">Baroque 70<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/gaudi-70\/\">Gaud\u00ec 70<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Medium tulip bowl, between 38 and 49 cl.<\/strong> Young reds, full-bodied whites and tasting service. These are the taller formats of the table ranges, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/contea-38\/\">Contea 38<\/a> and 49 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/ducale-38\/\">Ducale 38<\/a> and 47, joined by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/ducale-47-balloon\/\">Ducale 47 Balloon<\/a>, which offers the same capacity with a rounder bowl.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compact bowl, between 21 and 32 cl.<\/strong> Young and aromatic whites, and everyday service at the table. This is the band with the widest choice, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/contea-21\/\">Contea 21<\/a>, 27 and 32, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/ducale-21\/\">Ducale 21<\/a>, 27 and 31, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/elba-27\/\">Elba 27<\/a> and 32, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/giglio-27\/\">Giglio 27<\/a> and 32, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/venere-27\/\">Venere 27<\/a> and 32 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/some-lines-27\/\">Some Lines 27<\/a> and 32, alongside the water versions of Ducale and Elba that complete the table setting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flute, between 17 and 19 cl.<\/strong> Sparkling and frizzante wines. The narrow, tall bowl preserves the drive of the perlage and lengthens the rise of the bubbles. In Borgoforte these are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/contea-flute-19\/\">Contea Flute 19<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/ducale-flute-17-h198\/\">Ducale Flute 17<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/elba-flute-17-h160\/\">Elba Flute 17<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/giglio-flute-17\/\">Giglio Flute 17<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/stemware\/venere-flute-17\/\">Venere Flute 17<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>universal glass<\/strong> sits in the middle of this scale and is a shape designed not to specialise. The reference is the tasting glass with a bowl of around 21 cl, used in professional tastings for whites and reds alike. In the dining room that role goes to the formats between 27 and 32 cl, which take young whites and early-drinking reds well and are enough for a short list. A great red for ageing remains a case apart and asks for a wider bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On sparkling wines enthusiasts are divided. The flute preserves the drive of the perlage and remains the most recognisable shape in service, while the tulip glass leaves more room for the aromas and favours more complex sparkling wines. Many lists keep both shapes and assign them by type of label, the flute to young sparkling and frizzante wines, the tulip to traditional-method bottles with years of ageing behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"durability-and-commercial-dishwashing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Durability and Commercial Dishwashing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A glass in a restaurant faces closely spaced wash cycles and constant handling, and how long it lasts depends largely on how it is made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the blown glasses of Vetreria di Borgonovo the <strong>stem is drawn from the same mass of glass as the bowl<\/strong>. Bowl, stem and base are formed as a single piece, with no joints and no attachment points. A glass built this way is defined by its structural solidity and robustness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Restaurant glasses are also put under strain by commercial dishwashing, which brings high temperatures, alkaline detergents and rinse aids, and is repeated many times within the same day. The <strong>extra-clear, lead-free glass<\/strong> produced at the Borgonovo Val Tidone plant takes this repeated treatment, and a body with no joints stands up to the constant contact between pieces in the rack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"building-the-glassware-for-the-dining-room\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building the Glassware for the Dining Room<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How many models to keep in the dining room depends on the wine list, while how many pieces to hold depends on covers and on the pace of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a trattoria, a bistro or a wine bar two shapes are often enough, a universal glass between 27 and 32 centilitres and a flute for sparkling wines. It is a compact set that takes little shelf space and is handled with one dedicated rack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a rich and structured wine list the range widens. Alongside the glasses for whites and for early-drinking reds come the wide bowl for important reds, the flute or the tulip for sparkling wines and a small glass for passiti and dessert wines. Then come the formats that close the meal, spirits and amari, which have shapes of their own in the catalogue, from the Cognac range to the Conic and Rocky glasses. How many shapes to keep is a decision that comes from the list and from the way service is run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing shapes within a single range gives the table a coherent look. Glasses of different capacity share the design of the stem and the same proportions, so even a flute next to a red wine glass still reads as part of the same service. The stockroom gains as well, because replacements all come from one line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same logic covers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/glasses\/\">stemless glasses<\/a>, with no stem. In the catalogue they exist in the same ranges as the wine glasses, from Contea and Ducale to Baroque, Gaud\u00ec, Mistral and Rococ\u00f2, in formats between 38 and 52 cl. They do not replace the wine glass in wine service, but they cover the informal part of the day, from water on the table to aperitifs and long drinks, and they take up less height both on the shelf and in the rack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One last element is appreciated over time, and that is the <strong>continuity of the model<\/strong>. A range that stays in the catalogue can be reordered identical years later, and broken pieces are replaced one at a time instead of redoing the whole set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"request-the-catalogue\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Request the catalogue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still unsure which glasses to choose? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/contacts\/\">Get in touch<\/a> to look at formats and quantities for a specific service, or request the Vetreria di Borgonovo catalogue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing wine glasses for restaurants means weighing three requirements together: the bowl has to suit the wines on the list, the capacity has to carry the pour, and the durability has to keep up with the pace of service and with the wash cycle. Then there is the pleasure of holding a glass that looks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":475,"featured_media":368625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-368628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/475"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368628"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":368642,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368628\/revisions\/368642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borgonovo.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}