How To Tell If The Fancy Wine Glasses You're Buying Are Actually High-Quality

When you're looking for fine and high-quality wine glasses, there are a few ways to tell if the glass is made to your standards or not. Generally, it comes down to visuals of the glassware itself, such as how clear it is, the shape, the thickness, and if there are any hints of color. However, certain other factors, such as weight and even sound, can also help you to rule out lower-quality glasses.

When you're shopping, the first step is to inspect the wine glass. Generally, you want one with a bigger bowl, even if it narrows down to a small chimney afterward, because it allows the wine to get the air necessary to improve the flavor. There are several different glass shapes, but you should pick them based on personal preference and what kind of wine you want to use them for, so it's really only the bowl you need to consider. 

If you can, gently pick up a glass. The weight can give you a hint as to whether or not it's really of quality material. A long stem with a bigger bowl tends to be heavy if it's poorly made. If it feels lighter than you would expect, that's a sign it's a quality product. If you're good at sounds, you can also carefully tap the widest part of the bowl of the glass with a fingernail. It should make a bell-like sound that echoes for a few seconds, rather than the simple clinking a regular glass makes.

With the wine glass held up, move it around so you can see the rim. Thinner rims are said to lead to a better sipping experience, so most good wine glasses have delicate tops. Regular glass isn't able to handle being so thin and offering strength, but fine crystal can, which is why in nicer wine glasses, you'll find slim rims and stems. Speaking of stems, there are two types. Some are pulled, where the whole wine piece is made at the same time, while pieced designs are when the stem and the bowl are created separately and then attached. Pulled ones usually signal the piece is made by a very experienced professional, but the difference doesn't determine if the glass is high-quality or not, so you can pick your preference based on cost and desired appearance. 

Take the time to inspect the material as well. Cloudy, bubbled glass means the product is lower quality or that the skill used to make it wasn't great. If it is made from cheaper materials, it may also have a blue or green hint to it instead of being completely clear. Theoretically, colored stems are acceptable, but it is rarely seen in high-quality glasses. 

If you have a few wine glass sets that you're now realizing aren't as high-quality as you want, it's okay. You can keep them around to use with more clumsy guests, or you can find a way to repurpose them. There are plenty of ways to use them, such as the DIY moody tea light lanterns made from old wine glasses. 

It's worth noting that all of this only determines if the glass is high-quality or not. It doesn't do anything to reveal whether it was made by a machine or a human. Classically, machine-blown glass was lower quality, as it couldn't quite manage the thinner designs. Today, though, those made this way are just as fine and delicate. There are minor ways to tell if a glass is not handmade, such as looking for a very small indent on the bottom of the glass, but it's hard to see unless you know exactly what you're looking for.

Picking out a high-quality wine glass is about more than just having bragging rights. These nicer ones are made to last and make your wine taste better. They are generally created from crystal or crystalline glass, rather than soda-lime glass, used in common items like jars and windows. While both can be sturdy, these more expensive materials are designed to be durable and thin. Of course, just because they are stronger, it doesn't mean they are indestructible, which is why certain organization methods for wine glasses to maximize space have mixed responses. 

It's also helpful in determining how to clean and take care of your glasses. While a lot of the cheaper options can be thrown in the dishwasher, high-quality ones need to be treated with care, and you have to know the ways to perfectly wash these wine glasses. And, of course, there's always the simple fact that you want to make sure you're getting what you paid for.