What types of glasses are used for Fortified Wines?

Question

Please explain, what types of glasses are used for Fortified wines and why?

For example:

• Spanish: Jerez/Sherry, Moscatel
• Portuguese: Port, Madeira
• Italian: Marsala

Answer 1

What types of glasses are used for Fortified Wines?

First of all, why even use port or dessert wine glasses?

Port glasses unveil the seductive nuances of dessert wines and are intrinsically decadent in the hand. Designed to concentrate the aromas of sweeter and late harvest wines, dessert wine glasses reveal the complex flavors of port and sauterne as you linger into the evening. Port wine glasses are simply delightful to hold, and a port wine glass set is always a cherished gift. Find sleek, stemmed port glasses and beautifully blown sipper sets ready to be marveled over and sipped from. - Port & Dessert Wine Glasses

Fortified wine glasses come in a variety of shapes these days and are constantly being updated.

There are as many different styles of glassware as wine styles these days, but which glass is best to use for fortified wines? There are many options but most likely you will have a suitable glass tucked away somewhere in your cupboard… possible next to an old fortified wine forgotten! Get both out and give them a try, you may be surprised!

Fortified wines deserve a large glass that allows you to swirl and smell the wine. These wines have amazing aromas and depths of flavour so allowing the wine to concentrate these flavours in the glass will only add to your enjoyment of the wine. We recommend a good sized wine glass with a rounded body and slightly tapered sides towards the top. This will allow for swirling will minimal chance of spill and more importantly get your nose in for a good sniff to experience all the wine has to offer. Using a larger sized glass also allows you a generous sized pour you can sit down, relax and enjoy your wine. Don’t feel tempted to fill it to the top though, a good splash you can swirl about is all you need.

For entertainment at a dinner party you may wish to consider port sippers. These little hand-blown glasses look similar to a headless cat with a round body and a tail running the side. There is some merit to these in that while holding the glass you hands warm up the wine and helping release more flavour. They also make a loud slurping sound as you sip your glass entertaining your guests and signifying the bottle/decanter may need to be returned in that direction for a refill.

So put away the old style thimbles and get yourself a decent size glass, pour, swirl and savour the flavours of your fortified wines! - which Wine Glass?

For more information about this subject matter the following may be of help:

• The Top Dessert Wine Glasses And Port Glasses