Nuform

With the wine glasses, the size determines the use. The 40 cl is the compact bowl that suits white wine and aperitifs, and that you can set on a crowded table without a second thought. The 50 cl is the in-between size that works for both white and light red wine, and for most households it can be the only bowl you need. The 65 cl is the rounded bowl for full-bodied red wine, in which a 15 cl pour keeps plenty of air around it.

At the bar the choices work out differently. The 64 cl tonic glass is the wide, low-set model that you fill to the rim with ice, which keeps the drink cold without having to top it up. The 38 cl tumbler has a heavier base and is the glass for whisky or spirits over a single cube. The 26 cl flute is narrow enough to hold the bubbles together for a long time. Compare the sizes with the wider range of wine glasses.

Fill the tonic glass completely with ice first, and only then with the drink. It looks like too much ice, but a full glass melts more slowly than a half-filled one and so dilutes the tonic less. Pour the tonic down a bar spoon or along the side of the glass, so the carbonation does not escape straight away.

The same shape works for an Aperol Spritz: ice, then the aperitif, then the bubbles and finally a slice of orange. In the 38 cl tumbler you make a Negroni over one large cube; stir the drink separately and strain it over the ice, and it stays clear. For the wine glasses the usual rule applies: pour up to the widest point of the bowl and no higher, and you can swirl without spilling.

A thin rim gives a more pleasant sip but is more sensitive to knocks than a thick one. Most damage happens not in the water but while loading and unloading, when two bowls touch each other. So place the glasses loosely in the basket with enough room between them.

The glasses are machine-made with an even wall thickness and can go in the dishwasher. Dry the stems afterwards with a linen cloth, holding the glass by the bowl rather than the foot, because twisting force on a narrow stem is the most common cause of breakage with glasses like these.

If it is the model with a wavy relief in the wall you are after within this brand, you will find it on the Nuform Optic page. If you are looking for more wide bowls for gin and tonic, have a look at the gin and tonic glasses. The narrow models for sparkling wine are with the champagne flutes, and for the sturdy models with a heavy base there is the whisky glasses category.