We get lots of questions about stemware. Here’s one that came in recently…
QUESTION: We’re going to have a party, and my wife suggests we use our stemless glasses for the wine. I think that would be tacky. What do you think?
ANSWER: Stemless glasses have several advantages, not the least of which is that they don’t break as easily as glasses with stems — which might be a consideration at a party with lots of people bumping elbows.
Also, keep in mind that Italian families have been drinking wine from tumblers for generations. So if your party includes Italian food, that would give you a good “excuse” to keep the stemware in the cupboard and use those stemless glasses as part of your party’s “theme.”
In the summertime, we tend to consume more “casual” foods, including at our parties — pizza, barbecued fare, and so on. In our opinion, that makes a more casual approach to the wine glassware perfectly acceptable.
A party should be about fun. So don’t sweat the stemware, and instead concentrate on selecting a nice mix of wines that will appeal to the vast majority of your guests. For ideas on this topic, go to: http://blog.vinesse.com/2012/07/26/party-planning-choosing-the-right-wines/
When you check out that blog, you’ll see that our opinion on stemless wine glasses has evolved over the years. That said, we’re still absolutely opposed to serving good wine in plastic cups.
