How many wine glasses should you have?

It should be large enough to allow the wine aromas to unfold. And because these aromas are fleeting, it should taper towards the rim. A wide bowl with a tapered rim traps these aromas better than a straight glass or – heaven forbid – a flared rim. A long stem stops you holding the glass too close to the bowl and warming the wine with your hands. An all-purpose glass, usually commercially referred to as a red wine glass, can be used to drink a wide range of wines: red, white and dessert wines, rosé and even sparkling wines.

At most, seasoned wine drinkers may opt for another extra-large glass to aerate tannin-rich Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and another with a particularly wide bowl and tapered rim for aromatic Burgundy wines such as Pinot noir and Chardonnay.