Wine and Plastic Cups: Not a Perfect Pairing

I am the first to admit that I never thought much about the glasses I drink from – if the quality of the wine is good then the taste shouldn’t falter, right? According to Deb Harkness’ blog “Wine and Plastic Cups: Not a Perfect Pairing,” on SeriousEats.com, I am wrong. Very wrong. Ms. Harkness explains that the flavor of wine is largely subject to the type of receptacle it is poured into. For example, sipping that $30 bottle of syrah you’ve been coveting from a plastic cup may have you suspect the vineyard bottled concentrated grape juice. In an effort to deter readers from reaching for that economy-size bag of Dixie cups sitting around, Harkness says, “If you entertain a lot, go to a local beverage market and buy a box of cheap wine glasses. I bought a set of 18 for $20 a few years ago and whenever I have a big party I pull them out.”

As convincing as the argument for wine-specific glassware may be, I must question how many of us will actually stock our cabinets with glasses for every variety we drink. Well, Harkness has me there, too. Evidently, there are all-purpose designs available that will do our drinks justice. Harkness observes of her own drinking habits, “Though I find that wines do taste best in the glasses designed for them, when I'm tired I just reach for the Riedel Zinfandel glasses and enjoy every drop.”

Read Deb Harkness’ entire blog to learn the ins-and-outs of picking the right glass for you and your wine. And don’t forget to recycle those unneeded plastic cups hanging around.