Stölzle Lausitz Cocoon

The choice comes down to capacity. The 48.5 cl glass is the all-rounder for white wine and light reds. At 61 cl you get more air above the wine, which suits a mature white or a medium-bodied red. The 71 and 74.5 cl bowls are meant for full-bodied red wine, where the extra volume makes the tannin noticeably softer.

Alongside the wine glasses there is a 34 cl champagne glass, roomier than a classic flute and therefore better suited to sparkling wine with some age. The 44.5 and 55.5 cl tumblers follow the same rounded line and are meant for water or whisky on the rocks.

Never fill a Cocoon past the widest point of the bowl. In the 71 cl glass that is not even a third of its capacity, but it is precisely the empty space above that does the work: the aromas gather there before travelling through the narrower rim to your nose.

Always hold the glass by the stem. Not out of etiquette, but because the warmth of your hand otherwise passes through the thin bowl within a few minutes and the wine gets too warm. For sparkling wine the opposite of still wine applies: do fill the 34 cl champagne glass generously, so the bubbles last longer.

The glasses are crystal and are dishwasher safe. Stand them upright and make sure the bowls do not touch, because two thin walls tapping against each other as the basket turns are the most common cause of breakage.

Rinse a new glass before you pour wine into it. Dust from the cupboard affects the smell more than you would think.

Other series from the same brand are at Stölzle Lausitz. If you are looking specifically for a full-bodied red, have a look at the red wine glasses, and for bowls with even more volume at the large wine glasses. For the 34 cl champagne glass you will find recipes at the champagne cocktail and the kir royal. And if you want a young wine to open up faster without decanting it first, the wine aerators will help you there.