Every Red Wine Deserves Its Own Glass—Here Are Our Favorite Options

Best Overall

Riedel Veritas New World Pinot Noir Glass

$88 at Amazon $40 at Williams-Sonoma $89 at Macy's

Riedel has been producing celebrated glass products for over 200 years, and its name has become synonymous with quality stemware. While its large and diverse product line can be overwhelming, there are several Riedel glasses that perform excellently under a number of applications—and this Veritas New World glass is one of them. Marketed as a Pinot Noir glass, it's a natural for aromatic or lighter-bodied red wines, but it also holds its own with fuller, more assertive reds as well.

Featuring a beaded rim on the base but not on the lip, and sporting elegant teardrop styling, the Veritas New World glass is lightweight and well-balanced in the hand. Where it really shines is in the aromas department: we found that it enhances the bouquets of all types of red wines, especially pretty and aromatic examples, and performs well with nuanced white wines as well. Additionally, the sheer amount of glass used in the gracefully-sloping bowl provides excellent visuals of the wine's legs, or tears.

Sold in packs of two, this is an excellent all-purpose red wine glass that will impress your guests and delight your senses. They might be slightly difficult to store based on their unique shape, but we still think they are a worthy investment.

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 28 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Splurge

Zalto Denk'Art Universal Wine Glass

$156 at Amazon View on Wine Enthusiast View on Themanufactory.com

When it comes to high-quality glassware, there’s simply no competition—Zalto is the cream of the crop. Beloved by sommeliers, wine connoisseurs, and novices alike, these world-glass stems are produced from hand-blown crystal in Austria and promise luxury upon first (and every) sip. We found that the Denk'Art's paper-thin lip and luxurious, thin stem made holding the glass a luxurious experience in itself, while also allowing the wine to fully express its aromas and flavors.

While the Denk'Art is a star performer when it comes to red wines, we also found that the "universal" aspect of the glass means that it’s very well adapted to ensure that all wines show their best—the glass is basically a one-size-fits-all model for wine. Jen Saxby, a certified sommelier and sales and event manager at Benchmark Wine Group in Napa, California, notes that Zalto is generally a favorite among many top wine tasters, despite the hefty price tag. “The quality of a wine glass can change the way you experience wine and texture perceptions,” she says, citing this as one of the many reasons why changing glassware is a big part of running a successful beverage program at restaurants. 

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Set

Gabriel-Glas StandArt Crystal Wine Glasses

$68 at Amazon $68 at Wine.com View on Mygabrielglas.com

For a happy-medium option that can go the limits, check out Gabriel-Glas Austrian Crystal StandArt glasses. We found this glass to be ideal for not just reds, but also white, sparkling, and dessert wines: the classically designed bowl is tall and long, with an impressive capacity, but not so wide that sparkling wines will lose their effervescence. This versatile set of stems is perfect for concentrating aromatics and emphasizing the best that a wine has to offer, no matter what style or variety it’s made from.

The shape is unique—so we do understand if it isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, each one is hand-perfected by skilled craftsmen near Salzburg, Austria, from a base of lead-free crystal. We found the glass to feel sturdy in the hand, with a solid base that didn't make us overly concerned about the vessel's delicacy or potential for breakage. Best of all, this set of gorgeous stems come in a beautiful gift box, perfect for storing neatly in your own home or gifting to your favorite red wine fan.

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 8 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best Design

Wine Enthusiast Somm Pinot Noir Wine Glass

View on Wine Enthusiast

Sometimes you want the appearance of your glass to make as much of an impression as the red wine that's inside it, and the Somm Pinot Noir Handblown glass from Wine Enthusiast hits that target. Featuring a beaker-like bowl with a flared bottom and a tapered rim, this showstopping glass also boasts a thin stem and great balance. A wide base can sometimes look a little clumsy, but when it matches the width of the bowl (as it does here), the effect is dramatic and attractive.

While it's marketed as a pinot noir glass, we found that this vessel performs well for nearly all reds, even those more heftier than pinot. The large surface area of the wine in the glass makes it a great choice for reds that need a little extra aeration, like fuller-bodied varieties or certain older wines. Best of all, its capacity and its design make it a very easy glass in which to swirl wine—providing additional aeration—without worrying about spillage. (Although it also makes it a bit hard to store safely, but we don't see this as a deal-breaker.)

Material: Lead-free glass | Capacity: 26 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best for Pros

Josephinenhütte Josephine No. 3 Red Wine Glass

$220 at Amazon View on Josephinen.com

Any wine pro would be proud to be seen with the Josephinenhütte Josephine No. 3 Red Wine Glass in their hand—and not just because of its unique and fascinating design. Crafted from lead-free crystal, and as elegant as it is visually striking, the Josephine No. 3 is also an excellent vessel for tasting and evaluating wines. Reds, in particular, express themselves beautifully in this uniquely contoured glass.

While it feels delicate in the hand, we found that it also feels balanced, and pros can swirl away at their red wines without fear of allowing any drops to escape the No. 3's large capacity. We found the aromas to be rich and fully articulated, and the finely tapered lip felt satisfying to drink from. The whole No. 3 experience feels luxurious—and it should, given the price—but it's luxury with actual tangible performance to back it up.

Material: Lead-free crystal | Capacity: 27 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best for Gifting

Made In Red Wine Glasses

$49 at Amazon View on Madeincookware.com

For a stemware gift that checks all of our boxes, dive into Made In’s 4-pack of red wine glasses. Produced in Germany, these beautiful yet sturdy glasses are crafted to be a happy medium between classic Bordeaux and Burgundy shapes, making them perfect for almost any red wine and a great go-to gifting option.

Made In's glasses were recently redesigned, and we are exceptionally pleased with the new stemware. The laser-cut lip is the perfect angle and thinness for comfort, and the larger wine bowl allows for great aeration and swirling.

When we tried them out ourselves, a glass allowed a beaujolais to open up beautifully, letting subtle aromatics from the carbonic maceration to come through. We did notice that the glass is slightly unbalanced while holding in one hand, so you might need to put it down while eating your canapés.

Material: Lead-free glass | Capacity: 25 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Stemless

Riedel O Wine Tumbler Cabernet/Merlot

$59 at Amazon $59 at Walmart $59 at Wayfair

"Stemless wine glasses were created to fit in dishwashers, so that is a practical choice," says Catherine Fallis, a Master Sommelier currently selecting wines for Bright Cellars, stating that one of the main non-negotiables with glassware—stemless or not—is the ability to see the wine without distraction. For those skeptical of glassware without stems, these well-structured, sturdy wine tumblers from Riedel are a solid place to start.

Crafted with cabernet sauvignon and merlot in mind, these well-designed tumblers feel great in the hand, take up minimal space in the cabinet, and are entirely dishwasher-safe. "Wine brings joy, and your glass should also make you happy," she says, describing Riedel as the "gold standard" brand in the category. 

Material: Crystal | Capacity: 21.8 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best for Beaujolais

Lenox Tuscany Classics Beaujolais Wine Glasses

$41 at Amazon $43 at Walmart $41 at Wayfair

Fans of indulgently large wine glasses will rejoice with this Lenox set, which is festive enough for a dinner party but convenient for daily use, thanks to being dishwasher-safe. The long stem gives it a refined feel, while the spherical shape of the bowl gives you full access to a red wine’s bouquet. And although the lead crystal isn’t ideal, it’s fully safe for drinking out of occasionally.

Despite being crafted specifically for Beaujolais, we love these glasses for any red wines. The bowl is perfect for swirling without worrying about wine splashing out, and in turn, the nose of even lighter reds, like pinots, is easily discernible. Even though they feel incredibly delicate, these glasses have held up through many cleanings in the dishwasher, and the extra-long stem makes it easy to avoid knocking into the glass when dining at a table with complex place settings.

Material: Lead crystal | Capacity: 24 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Budget

Schott Zwiesel Forte Wine Glasses

$78 at Amazon $53 at Wayfair $78 at Sur La Table

Although many of the red wine glasses on this list have exquisite shapes and designs, this one is pretty standard and looks exactly like most people expect a wine glass to look. We do not see that as a bad thing at all—in fact, that is one reason we love this option.

This is a heavier option, but this can be seen as a good thing since it means the glass is sturdy and less prone to breaking and/or chipping. The lip is smooth and the bowl is big enough to swirl any type of red, plus whites and sparkling wines, too. The six glasses per set makes each glass a reasonable price, and also gives you enough for a dinner party or a backup or two if any break.

Material: Tritan crystal glass | Capacity: 24.7 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes