The Best White Wine Glass: Riesling, Chardonnay, Universal

White wine is served colder and poured smaller than red, and the glass should follow. The question is whether you want one glass for every white, or two that split the difference between a crisp Riesling and a rich Chardonnay.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated September 25, 20266 picksSave to Pinterest

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Our top picks

6 picks, each linked to the exact listing

1
Best overallRiedel Vinum Riesling Grand Cru/Zinfandel Wine Glass, Set of 2
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2
The sensible entry pointSCHOTT ZWIESEL Modo White Wine Glass, Set of 4
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3
For oaked ChardonnayRiedel Veritas Oaked Chardonnay Glasses, Set of 2
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4
The universal choiceSpiegelau Definition Crystal Universal Wine Glasses, 19 oz, Set of 4
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5
One glass for everythingGabriel-Glas Crystal Wine Glasses, Set of 6, StandArt Edition
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6
If money is no objectZalto Denk'Art White Wine Glass
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The classic white wine glass is smaller than a red wine glass, with a narrower bowl. There are two reasons. A small pour warms more slowly, and a tighter bowl concentrates the lighter, more delicate aromas of wines like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and unoaked Chardonnay. A bigger glass is not wrong, but a cold 5 ounce pour in a 25 ounce bowl warms and flattens quickly.

The exception is oaked Chardonnay and white Burgundy. Rich, full whites behave more like red wine: they want air and a wider bowl. That is why Riedel makes a separate glass for them, and why many serious drinkers keep two white shapes, or give up and use a universal glass for everything.

A universal glass is a perfectly sensible answer. If you drink white and red in about equal measure, a single tulip bowl of about 500 ml does both well. We read the maker specs and listings for glasses from Germany and Austria, noted which ones are built for which wines, and sorted them by price and by how often you will reach for them.

How we chose

Bowl size for the wine. About 12 to 14 ounces for crisp, aromatic whites; 18 to 22 for oaked Chardonnay and universal use. We noted each glass's capacity from the listing.
A thin rim. Delicate whites show every difference in rim thickness. Cut, thin rims were favored over rolled ones.
Dishwasher tolerance. Every pick here is rated dishwasher safe by its maker or listing.
Cost to replace. We weighed the price per stem and whether the glass is sold singly, in pairs or in larger sets.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The 6 picks, in detail

Best overallNo. 1

Riedel Vinum Riesling Grand Cru/Zinfandel Wine Glass, Set of 2

Our take. Riedel's long-running glass for crisp, aromatic whites, from the line that made varietal glassware affordable.

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Keeps for: Years of dishwasher use
Capacity: About 14 oz
Height: About 8.3 in
Material: Machine-made crystal glass
Designed: 1986, Georg J. Riedel
Dishwasher: Yes (maker)

Vinum was designed in 1986 by Georg J. Riedel, tenth generation of the glassmaking family, as the affordable line of varietal-specific glasses. The Riesling Grand Cru is its glass for aromatic whites: a tall, fairly narrow bowl of about 14 ounces on a glass about 8.3 inches tall.

Riedel shapes it to carry the floral, fruity aromas of white wine, and it also takes a fruity red such as Zinfandel. In practice it is a very good glass for Riesling, unoaked Chardonnay, Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc and most other crisp whites. It is machine made from crystal glass and dishwasher safe, like all Riedel glasses.

Skip it if you drink mostly big, oaked Chardonnay, which wants the larger Veritas bowl, or if you want one glass for red and white alike.

The catch. Sold in pairs, and the rim is a little thicker than the Veritas line.

The sensible entry pointNo. 2

SCHOTT ZWIESEL Modo White Wine Glass, Set of 4

Our take. A right-sized white wine glass in tough German crystal for about $8 a stem.

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Made in: Germany
Keeps for: Many years; Tritan is made to resist chips
Capacity: About 13.5 oz
Height: 8 in
Material: Tritan crystal glass, lead-free
Dishwasher: Yes (listing)

Modo is Schott Zwiesel's plainest modern line: a straight-lined bowl on a tall stem, 8 inches high, holding about 13.5 ounces. That is the classic white wine size, small enough to keep a cold pour cold and to gather the aroma of a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc.

It is made in Germany from Tritan crystal glass, the maker's lead-free glass with titanium in place of lead, designed to resist chipping and breaking. It goes in the dishwasher, and at this price a broken stem is a small annoyance.

Skip it if you like a rounded, traditional bowl. Modo is geometric, with straight sides, and it reads as contemporary on the table.

The catch. The straight-sided bowl is a matter of taste.

For oaked ChardonnayNo. 3

Riedel Veritas Oaked Chardonnay Glasses, Set of 2

Our take. A big, light bowl for rich whites, from Riedel's lighter, finer machine-made line.

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Keeps for: Years of dishwasher use
Capacity: About 21 7/8 oz
Height: About 8.5 in
Material: Machine-made crystal glass
Line: Veritas
Dishwasher: Yes (maker)

Oaked Chardonnay and white Burgundy have enough weight and aroma to crowd a small glass. The Veritas Oaked Chardonnay gives them room: a wide, egg-shaped bowl of about 22 ounces on an 8.5 inch stem.

Veritas is one of Riedel's lighter machine-made lines, made to be thinner and finer than Vinum while holding up to daily use and the dishwasher. The large bowl lets the aromas open without concentrating them too much, which is the point for a wine that has spent time in barrel.

Skip it if you drink crisp whites more than rich ones. In this bowl, a cold Riesling warms quickly and its lighter aromas get lost.

The catch. Too big for the crisp whites most people drink most often.

The universal choiceNo. 4

Spiegelau Definition Crystal Universal Wine Glasses, 19 oz, Set of 4

Our take. A thin, light universal glass that does whites and reds equally well, for less than most fine machine-made stems.

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Made in: Germany
Keeps for: Years of dishwasher use
Capacity: 19 oz
Material: Lead-free crystal, thin machine made
Dishwasher: Yes (listing)
Sold as: Set of 4

Definition is Spiegelau's thin machine-made line. The maker uses newer production methods to blow machine glass nearly as thin as handmade, with an extra-fine rim and a slender stem. The Universal holds 19 ounces and is made in Germany from lead-free crystal.

At 19 ounces it is in the right middle ground: roomy enough for Chardonnay and red wine, not so large that a pour of Sauvignon Blanc looks lost. If you would rather own one glass than two, it is the easiest one here to recommend.

Skip it if you want matched white and red glasses on a formal table, or if thin glass makes you nervous. It is lighter than most machine-made stems, and it feels it.

The catch. The thin stem that makes it pleasant also makes it the most breakable glass here after the Zalto.

One glass for everythingNo. 5

Gabriel-Glas Crystal Wine Glasses, Set of 6, StandArt Edition

Our take. The single-glass argument made well: one light Austrian bowl for white, red and sparkling.

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Made in: Austria
Keeps for: Years of daily use; the maker cites 1,000 wash cycles without clouding
Capacity: About 510 ml (listed as 16 oz)
Material: Lead-free crystal, one piece
Dishwasher: Yes; EU tested to 1,000 cycles
Sold as: Set of 6, gift boxed

Gabriel-Glas was started by the Swiss wine critic René Gabriel, on the argument that one well-shaped glass can replace a cabinet of varietal shapes. The StandArt edition is machine made in Austria from lead-free crystal, drawn from one piece, so there are no joins between bowl, stem and foot.

The bowl holds about 510 ml, with a slight kink at its widest point that marks a natural pour line. For white wine, that gives room for an oaked Chardonnay while still suiting a crisp Riesling if you pour a little less. The maker says it is EU tested for clarity after 1,000 dishwasher cycles.

Skip it if you want a smaller, traditional white wine glass. And note that this six-pack is sold by Gabriel-Glas North America directly, which costs more per stem than the pairs.

The catch. Broken glasses are not replaced by the maker, and the modern bowl will not suit every table.

If money is no objectNo. 6

Zalto Denk'Art White Wine Glass

Our take. The mouth-blown white wine glass that sommeliers pour Riesling into, and a real pleasure to drink from.

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Made in: Austria
Keeps for: As long as you do not break it
Capacity: 400 ml
Height: 9.1 in
Material: Mouth-blown lead-free crystal
Dishwasher: Yes; maker prefers it to hand washing

Zalto blows its glasses by hand in Neunagelberg, Austria, in lead-free crystal. The Denk'Art White Wine glass holds 400 ml and stands 9.1 inches tall, with the angled bowl that marks the whole line. The rim is thin enough that the glass nearly disappears on the lip.

It is sized squarely for white wine: large enough for a white Burgundy, small and tight enough to gather the aromatics of a German Riesling or a Loire Sauvignon. It also works for sparkling wine. Zalto rates it dishwasher safe and in fact prefers the machine, because most breakage happens while drying by hand.

Skip it if you have a crowded sink, children or a habit of breaking stems. Nearly $80 each is the cost of a good bottle every time one goes. On Amazon it is sold by The Manufactory, a US Zalto retailer, rather than by Zalto itself.

The catch. Sold singly at nearly $80, so every breakage stings.

Compare the picks

Pick	Best for	Made in	Keeps for	Buy
Riedel Vinum Riesling Grand Cru/Zinfandel Wine Glass, Set of 2	Best overall	Not stated	Years of dishwasher use	Check priceAmazon
SCHOTT ZWIESEL Modo White Wine Glass, Set of 4	The sensible entry point	Germany	Many years; Tritan is made to resist chips	Check priceAmazon
Riedel Veritas Oaked Chardonnay Glasses, Set of 2	For oaked Chardonnay	Not stated	Years of dishwasher use	Check priceAmazon
Spiegelau Definition Crystal Universal Wine Glasses, 19 oz, Set of 4	The universal choice	Germany	Years of dishwasher use	Check priceAmazon
Gabriel-Glas Crystal Wine Glasses, Set of 6, StandArt Edition	One glass for everything	Austria	Years of daily use; the maker cites 1,000 wash cycles without clouding	Check priceAmazon
Zalto Denk'Art White Wine Glass	If money is no object	Austria	As long as you do not break it	Check priceAmazon

Compared.

Every comparison

Temperature matters more than the glass

A lot of white wine is served too cold, straight from the back of the refrigerator, and very cold wine gives off little aroma whatever glass it is in. Let the bottle sit out briefly before pouring, and pour smaller glasses more often so each one stays cool without being frozen.

One glass or two

If you drink mostly crisp whites, one glass of 12 to 14 ounces is enough. If you drink a lot of oaked Chardonnay too, add a larger bowl or a universal glass. If you drink white and red in equal measure, a single universal glass is the sensible answer, and it saves cabinet space.

What to avoid

Skip small, thick glasses sold as white wine glasses; the bowl is too tight to swirl. Skip colored or etched glass, which hides the wine's color, and stemless glasses for whites, which warm in your hand.

Frequently asked questions

Why are white wine glasses smaller than red?

A smaller bowl keeps a chilled wine cooler for longer and concentrates the lighter aromas typical of white wine. Reds usually want more air.

What glass should I use for Chardonnay?

Unoaked Chardonnay suits a standard white glass like the Riedel Vinum Riesling Grand Cru. Oaked, rich Chardonnay does better in a larger bowl such as the Riedel Veritas Oaked Chardonnay or a universal glass.

What glass should I use for Riesling?

A narrow, relatively small bowl that holds the aroma and keeps the wine cool. The Schott Zwiesel Modo, the Riedel Vinum or the Zalto White Wine all suit it.

Can I drink white wine from a red wine glass?

Yes. The wine will warm faster and delicate aromas can spread out, so pour less at a time.

Is a universal glass a compromise?

Slightly, at the extremes. For most wines on most nights, a good universal glass is indistinguishable from a varietal glass, and it halves what you need to own.