In every corner of the wine business, you will come across connoisseurs who insist that the glass you drink from is as important as the wine you've selected. That the right glass will enhance the taste of this wine. Now, input any significant department or kitchen shop, and you will have dozens to pick from, and that range in prices from just a couple of dollars on up to hundreds per glass. What is all of the fuss about?

I surely wish to know. A lot of it is a marketing ploy: we've begun to mystify wine glasses at the exact same way we're taught to believe that expensive wine is greater, and that there are "correct" wine options. There are surely people who "make it" and select their wine glasses accordingly. And if that is important to you, go for it. For the rest of us, realize you could have a very pleasurable experience with your wine, regardless of the glass. Wine is wine; the glass doesn't make the wine. There are, however, some principles you should know about how to select wine glasses:

1. Red wine is usually served in glasses with broader mouths because it allows the wine to breathe. Same with all the very big glasses - you know the ones I'm talking about. Because white wine is made to be consumed immediately and does not hold up to the aging process very well, it is most often served at the narrower-mouthed and smaller eyeglasses. That's the sole reason, and that means now you can feel free to throw out this rule when you are at home--you won't likely notice any difference dependent on the glass. We sure don't.

2. Stemless glasses are all the rage at the moment, and may be extremely enjoyable. They come in many shapes and varieties and in both white and red styles. But, shatterproof stemless plastic wine glasses stick with drinking red wine from stemless glasses, only because white wine pops up too fast in our grasp. (BTW, that is the exact same reason people hold white wine in the stem - to avoid warming the liquid through consumption.)

3. Do looks matter? Yes! Wine is an experience, something you linger over and savor. At home you should have eyeglasses that you like to hold. I have a favorite amber-glassed goblet for my red wine; Nate prefers our stemless most often