Glasses

Glasses represent one of the most commonly used items in the every-day-life. Over time, its function, intrinsically linked to the necessary action of drinking, has evolved towards an impressive transformation of this ordinary staple. At present there is a wide choice of glasses with diverse characteristics especially tailored on the kind of drink to be served. Glasses are witnesses of hangouts, union and chill, hence they must be handy, elegant or colored based on the situation.

The table protagonists: wine and water glasses

The dining table is one of the main places where family and friends get together. Setting a table becomes therefore a ritual and a special moment during the day. The table protagonists are water glasses, namely the typical glasses made of glass and wine glasses, featuring more specific characteristics.
Water glasses are indispensable in a house and today they are available not only in plain transparent glass, but even colored, decorated, textured, round-shaped or in the most bizarre shapes. In most cases as for water glasses, the choice falls on extremely basic glasses, with no particular details, but a more peculiar design can make more unique even such a natural act as drinking. After water, wine has ever since been the most served drink on a dining table. For those who love the art of wine tasting, carefully choosing the appropriate glass for each type of wine is a must. A choice which is appropriate and of design is one that guarantees the quality of the materials and the adequate shape, without compromising on the elegance of the aesthetics. Wine glasses and stem glasses need thereby to match some key requirements. First of all transparency, so that color hues and the bottom layer can be appreciated; secondly they need to be made in fine material like glass or crystal; preferably the shape should feature a stem so to hold the glass in a way that the hand is kept far from the drink, preventing it from warming up and from being contaminated with smells.
Furthermore there is the rule of the white wine glass and of the bigger red wine glass. A big rounded glass glasses allows fragrances to perfectly liberate in the mouth. This is not needed for a white wine, for which a narrower openness keeps the aromas inside the glasses. As for toasts, so with sparkling wines, prosecco or champagne, long-stem glass flûtes are the most indicated.

A glass for any occasion

In our spare time with family and friends, at home as well as out, it is a delightful thing to share chats and laughter after a glass and some food. Depending on the location, on the context and kind of event, be it at the disco, in a pizzeria or in a pub, long drinks or cocktail glasses, wine and beer glasses cannot be missed.
Be it light or brown, the perfect beer glass is one that accentuates its taste, flavor and foam. Together with the typical beer mugs, design beer glasses too have made their way across the pond, turning the act of drinking into a bliss also for the sight. If on the other hand we want to sip a mojito, Martini or another one among the many long drinks available, the glass and particularly its shape influences both the experience and the taste. As for cocktails, depending on their features, glasses can be spherical, straight, flared, with or without handle, deep or shallow. Even in this case, transparency is normally preferred so to appreciate the look and color of the drink.
Last but not least, liquor glasses accompany calm conversations, often at the end of a dinner. Ideal to taste liquors, grappa, rum, or aged liquors, classic-style, tiny-shaped glasses are designed to best point out the liquors characteristics.

New trends in glasses, among materials, shapes and design

Glass design let loose on all fronts. Rikke Hagen, to mention one, has designed Cognac Glass for Normann Copenhagen. The glass has been designed in a way to maintain the flavor, temperature and volume of the drink. Its shape emphasizes the intimate experience of drinking cognac, enhancing the depth of the color and the movement of the liquid.
Especially in the cocktail domain, a new trend for multi-sensoriality and design glasses is sweeping across lounge bars. Not only drinking, but experiencing the drink through the taste, smell and touch has become a must for bartenders. Glasses adorned with serpentine or hourglasses, stem glasses in the quirkiest shapes, glasses inside other glasses or with integrated straws are highlighted by the vividness of the drink colors, tickling the sight and transforming the act of drinking a cocktail into a thrilling and memorable experience. Glass is therefore the absolute king among the materials used to make glasses, whatever the scope for what they have been forged is. Be it blown, borosilicate, crystal, colored or decorated, glass as a material offers the most popular and suitable answer to the characteristics that a glass cannot miss. Fine, curvy-shaped and at times in elaborate shapes, transparent, light and elegant. If glass remains unbeaten in this sector, plastics, and in particular plexiglass and polycarbonate, ceramics and metal are the most popular alternatives. Who at home does not have a stockpile of disposable glasses at hand, for crowded appetizers or dinners? Metal and ceramic glasses combined with varnishes, prints and decorations in many cases evoke an audacious and avant-gard vintage style.