Royal Leerdam Ronda

Choose on the basis of the wine that needs the most room. The 47 cl bowl is the compact size and suits white wine or a light red at the table, where plates and dishes also need space. The 59 cl is the middle size and the safest choice if you only want one: enough volume to swirl, not so large that a normal pour looks lost. The 72 cl is meant for firm red wines with tannin that need to open up first. To see more shapes side by side, look at the red wine glasses and at the wider selection of wine glasses.

Never pour a wine glass beyond the widest point of the bowl. In the 72 cl that is around a quarter of its capacity, in the 47 cl about a third, and in both cases it comes down to a normal serving. The air above is where the aroma gathers as soon as you swirl the glass. Serve red wine slightly below room temperature and white wine cooler, and hold the glass by the stem. For a summery version with fruit, the recipe for sangria is ready and waiting.

Machine-made lime glass is thicker than hand-blown bowls and therefore lasts for years in a household where the dishwasher runs every day. The glasses can go in on a normal programme. Load them in the basket without the bowls touching, because most breakage comes from knocks during the cycle rather than from the heat itself. Rinse after washing if your water is hard and dry with a linen cloth, and the bowl stays clear.

The other ranges from this brand can be found under Royal Leerdam. If you mainly serve white and want a glass that keeps the wine cold for longer, look at the white wine glasses. If you want a firm red to breathe before it goes into the glass, that is what the decanters are for. And with the recipe for the Kir Royal you can put a light aperitif on the table before the wine arrives.