Stölzle Lausitz Q1

The difference lies in the shape of the bowl. The 65 cl bowl is narrower and taller and sends the aromas upwards in a tight column; that shape suits wines with firm tannin, such as a cabernet sauvignon or a mature bordeaux. The 87 cl bowl is rounder and wider and offers a large contact surface with air, which is what lighter, aromatic reds such as pinot noir or nebbiolo need. In both cases you pour about 15 cl, up to the widest point of the bowl. Fill it further and the shape works against you. For white wine these sizes are too generous.

Always hold the glass by the stem. That is not etiquette but temperature: a hand around the bowl warms red wine measurably within minutes, and at 87 cl there is a lot of surface. Swirl in small circles with the foot on the table, which is steadier than swirling freely in the air. Serve red wine between sixteen and eighteen degrees, in summer too; room temperature today is warmer than when that rule was invented. If you want something fresher from the same glass, a sangria or an aperol spritz works perfectly well in the wider bowl.

Q1 is made of lead-free crystal glass, with a stem pulled from one piece together with the bowl. That is the weak spot in cheaper glassware: an attached stem comes loose. Not here. The glasses are dishwasher safe; place them upright and do not let the bowls touch each other. Never lift a wet glass by the bowl, and store them upright rather than on the rim.

If you are after a sturdier glass or a smaller size, there are several ways to go. The full offering from this house is at Stölzle Lausitz. All shapes side by side can be found among the wine glasses; if you want to choose more precisely, there are the red wine glasses and the narrower white wine glasses. To let a bottle breathe or keep it at temperature, the carafes and the wine coolers are ready.