[Growster...]

Over the years, Mrs Growster and I have used broken all sorts of wine glasses, from those from her parents' pub, to really nice Swiss ones which are still 95% intact, down to garage glasses, up (slightly) to supermarket ones, then back to ordinary one-quidders...

Just of late, as we seem to have one left of every sort we've acquired, we decided to splash out and as I'd broken our favourite Wedgewood decanter some time ago and we'd been using another favourite French milk bottle (we just love it), enough was enough!

So off to Cranbrook we went, and found some fantastic small tumblers, which are like the ones you used to get in French cafes in the Beaujolais, which were a bit like old school glasses! We had some from a certain French grocer back in the nineties, and have just one left, so that's a no-no if we want to clink, as is the norm about the witching hour!

They're the same as the Debenhams ones you can buy on the net, only smaller, and apparently are American, but that doesn't worry us, as we hope we may not break all these like we do on a regular basis...;0)

So, does the team think that wine glasses need to be quartz crystal, or bog-standard...?

[sunshineband]

We have some exceptionally stylish crystal glasses we treated ourselves to 30 plus years ago. They are so nice we hardly dare use them tbh

Elegant plain ones are our everyday use ... well, for wine anyway. Easily replaceable, but still with a decent ring when you clink 

Like the sound of your French café style glasses though Growster 

[Beetroot Queen]

We have american ones we purchased at a factory outlet, they are amazing cheap as chips over there but look amazing back here, not sure why we have them as we dont drink lol

We have posh water glasses at dinner though 

[Growster...]

At the risk of being modded, these are the ones, and we didn't buy them at Debenhams... (sorry Debs, we like you really...)

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_334009907199TUM6_-1

Had we done so, we'd have got them cheaper, but would have had to drive to, and park in Hastings, which rather defeats the object etc etc...

[devonbarmygardener]

I bought 12 goblets with a crystal swirl in the stem from 'The Cooks' Kitchen' website when we gutted and renovated our kitchen back in 2005. We still have 9 left

Can't get them anymore which is a b*gger.

We also have some pretty moroccan tea glasses which make a bottle of wine last longer! They used to use this size glass in Zakynthos,in our hotel - so cute. :happy:

[Growster...]

Yes, that's the general idea, Devon, about making a bottle last longer...

Have you tried 'Glassbay'..?

[Springlands]

Those would definitely do the job Growster. When our daughter comes over for a visit she will only drink wine from proper wine glasses so out come the fancy glasses otherwise on the odd occasion that I drink wine I use a fairly plain glass.

[madcat]

In exasperation some years ago I bought a dozen small red wine glasses and a dozen white wine flutes, plus a dozen tumblers from IKea, on the principle that they were too cheap to cry over.  Guess which glasses are still around ....   

[surbie100]

Mine aren't crystal, but they are pretty fancy and from the bargainhouse that is TKMaxx. For me they have to be as thin as possible, but that makes them just easier to break.

I can't have expensive ones because I am so clumsy....and I hate fretting over things like that.

[Lardman]

Over the years the local crystal place (Stuart crystal) used to have decent deals on factory seconds, but even those are now far to expensive to drink from    as there's many a slip between cup and lip.

I've resorted to some very solid (the type you can drop on carpet without smashing) ˝ pint tumblers from Debenhams - but I do prefer my none spill Talisker glass for later on in the night 

[Growster...]

In Vinopolis, by Borough Market, in London, they sell wine tasting glasses, (called 'Coupitres' (sp) I believe), for about a couple of pounds each. They are superb for drinking wine, but are so fragile, that they break when you even drool at them! Like the others, we have just one left...

Business partner used to have a glass which took a whole bottle, but that's just plain greedy in my book, but, he is generous in buying the next bottle or three..;0)

These thicker tiddlers are becoming a pleasant way to imbibe so far, so we'll report back when we wake up..;0)

[Trillium]

Here's some info people might not be aware of regarding wine glasses:

http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Wine-Glasses-for-a-Wine

http://winefolly.com/tutorial/types-of-wine-glasses/

Somehow I doubt Growster will be so selective, but one never knows   

[Growster...]

You've read my mind! Trills, they're all up themselves in the nicest possible way!

How on earth do glass manufacturers know what sort of glass we need to imbibe our own special homemade creation, which beats most seven or eight quidders from Twongos any time!

They clutch well, and have resilience to washing up, which expensive glasses don't!

[surbie100]

They clutch well

I love this term. I will be using it from now on. 

[Trillium]

I used to think the different shapes and heights of wineglasses was just malarky, but I watched a video a few years ago that explained the reasons. Seems the 'body' of some wines, need more, or less, oxygen (in the swirling) to enhance the flavour so someone came up with the difference heights, etc to suit. The 'bubble' in the bell of some of the glass better enhances that particular type of wine. Same with quantity in the glass. Hence so many shapes and heights. I do know some wine guzzlers for whom I'd be just as happy to supply a horse bucket but I'm sure the horse would resent sharing.   

On the champagne glasses, I had some of the old fashioned wide type I inherited from OH's mother, and a BIL brought the narrow flutes to a family celebration where we had champagne. I'm not a bubbly wine drinker, but did so on the special occasion. To my great surprise, I noticed a huge difference in taste between the 2 glasses. (somehow I'd mislaid my original glass and simply grabbed another). The tall flutes are superior for retaining taste over the wider, shorter ones (supposedly modeled after Marie Antoinette's breasts).