Will your wine glass affect the quality of the wine? Yes and no. Wine is appreciated for its look, smell and flavour so some thought does need to be given to how it's served. This was first realized 250 years ago when Professor Claus J. Riedel noticed that his wine was affected by the shape of the glass. Today there are almost as many different types of wine glasses as there are wines. To ensure that all of the effort spent in making or choosing your wine isn't lost, consult the list below for some common wines and their appropriate glasses.

The Red Wine Glass
Red wine glasses are unique in the fact that they have shorter stems than their white wine counterparts. This is because when drinking red wine its okay to hold the bowl as it's not easily affected by body heat. Thought to be the all purpose wine glass as both red and white wines can be properly served in it is the Bordeaux glass. Its tall, wide shape and large bowl allow the complexities of the wines aroma and flavour to be smoothed by the air. The Bordeaux glass is perfectly suited for Cabernets and Merlots. However if Pinot Noir happens to be your favourite add a Burgundy glass to your collection. A bit shorter than the Bordeaux glass and with a bigger bowl, the Burgundy glass is designed to hit the tip of your tongue where it's easier to taste the wines sweetness.

The White Wine Glass
Slightly taller than a red wine glass with a longer stem and narrower bowl is the white wine glass. The longer stem aids in keeping the wine cool because it deters you from holding the bowl and changing the wine with your body heat. Unlike bold reds it's not necessary to aerate white wine which accountants for the narrow bowl. Chardonnay fans will want to watch for a tapered lip. The tapered lip helps to concentrate to aroma of the wine as its sweetness hits the front and sides of your tongue. Those who like Sauvignon Blanc will want a tall slim glass that will reach the back and sides of the tongue letting you taste its bold flavours.

The Sparkling Wine Glass
Champagne and sparkling wines are best served in flutes; tall and slender with a slightly elongated bowl they allow the bubbles to build up properly and hit the tip of your tongue.

The Dessert Wine Glass
Smaller than its counterparts is the dessert wine glass or Aperitif glass, best suited to serve sweet wines, Ports and Sherries. By limiting the serving size and dispensing the wine on the back of the tongue the small glass ensures that the dessert wines sweetness and high alcohol content won't overwhelm the drinker.

As much as the shape and quality of a wine glass can affect your wine so can the way you wash and store them. Fine glass should be washed in hot water, rinsed in cold and polished with a soft glass cloth. For an extra shine, steam the rinsed glass over boiling water and allow it to air dry upside down on a towel. It's best to store your wine glasses away from other glasses to ensure that they aren't damaged. Keeping them in a well ventilated area away from coffee, spices and tobacco smoke is also necessary in avoiding a foul tasting wine.