How You Should Hold A Wine Glass

While Frasier and Niles Crane belong to a wine club that grants them access to a highly learned group of wine experts, for most, wine drinking is a comparatively casual affair. Generally, you won't see anyone letting their vino "breathe." No one takes a sip and spits it out. And few know the proper way to hold their glass. 

If, however, you admire the Crane brothers' ability to debate perfect wine pairings and toss around words like cuvée, demi-sec, and noble rot — don't fret. You, too, can become an accomplished oenophile. What's an oenophile? Delighted Cooking describes it as someone who loves wine to the point of learning about its "nuances," the grapes that create it, and the vineyard that produces it. Others, however, argue that it could simply be someone who enjoys wine as a hobby.

While learning the requisite jargon is important, one of the first skills you will want to master is the proper way to hold your wine glass. Wait a minute — there is a right way to hold your wine glass? Yes, and as MarthaStewart.com contends, holding it properly is a "key part of enjoying wine" and a "crucial component of basic table manners." Clearly, before joining Seattle's finest wine club (or any other for that matter), you will need to conquer this art. 

What, exactly, is deemed the proper way to hold one's wine glass? According to Master Class, the correct method is to "hold the stem between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger." It doesn't matter where on the stem you hold it, so try out a few positions until you find the one that works best for you. Just remember that your pinky and ring finger should "rest at the top of the base." This is not a fancy tea party, so there is no need to outstretch your little finger.

Not only does this technique make you look like you know a thing or two about wine, but it also keeps your drinking vessel looking pristine. This method will keep the bowl of your glass free of unsightly fingerprints. Plus, if you want to have the best-looking glass of vino in the room, Wine Folly recommends drinking from the same spot on your glass all night, ensuring that there is only one lip print. You may not know a bevy of fancy wine terms yet, but you will surely look the part of someone who does. 

Holding your wine glass "properly" will also enable you to swirl the contents of your glass with more ease, a seemingly important part of wine consumption. Vino Vest shares that swirling one's wine lets you more fully enjoy its "full flavor profile." They suggest placing your wine glass on something flat and swirling it while holding the stem. This method is designed to prevent spillage.

If you grip the bowl part of the glass, Master Class warns that your body heat may raise the wine's temperature, which could change how it tastes. On the flip side, holding the stem doesn't change the liquid's temperature at all. Who knew that a simple thing like changing how you hold your wine glass could make such a massive difference to both the appearance and the quality of your beverage?  

Now that you're an expert in how to properly hold a wine glass, perhaps you'll be interested in starting your own wine club. There just may be some wisdom in the words "fake it 'til you make it." Cheers.