Everywhere you look, stemless wine glasses are stealing the spotlight, even outside of the wine-drinking realm. Stemless glasses are great for everything from wine and gin to water, or at least that’s what’s being said about them. But what’s the truth? Are stemless wine glasses worth the hype? The short answer: absolutely. The long answer: we’ll get there. Here are just a few pros and cons about stemless gin glasses and stemless wine glasses.
Pro: Stemless Glasses Are Both Formal and Casual
According to certified wine scholar and professor Tanya Morning Star Darling, the current craze stems (no pun intended) from the idea that anyone “should be able to drink good wine in any kind of setting.” Whether you’re pouring a glass to enjoy on the couch at the end of the night or a round for the ladies at a glamorous dinner party, stemless glasses perfectly fit the vibe. Simple and sophisticated, the design of stemless wine glasses is one that has been perfected over centuries. If the ancient Romans didn’t need stems to enjoy their wine, why do we?
Con: Stems Keep the Right Temperature
Wine connoisseurs will tell you that the key to enjoying wine at its best is by pouring it at the right temperature. When you have your hand directly against the glass, which in turn is directly against the wine, the temperature is going to increase from what it was poured at. This could potentially interfere with the flavor. Whether or not this will make a big difference in your wine-drinking experience will depend on whether you’ve got a taste for a R50 or R300 bottle of wine. If you’re happy with what you can grab while at the grocery store during the week, a stemmed glass probably won’t do much to improve the flavor.
Pro: Stemless Glasses are Sturdier
For stemmed wine glasses, the dishwasher is a danger zone. There are wine glasses out there that can stand up to the beating of your standard dishwasher, but those will set you back quite a bit. Even hand washing your glasses in the sink can quickly become a very delicate and dangerous task. If you find yourself avoiding using your wine glasses because the idea of washing them brings you too much stress, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Stemless wine glasses, on the other hand, can be washed just like your other daily use glassware. In addition, you are much less likely to lose a glass or two during a get together if you go stemless. Tall, stemmed wine glasses are easy to tip over if a table gets bumped. Stemless glasses have a lower center of gravity, making them much sturdier.
Con: Stemless Glasses Lack the Fancy Factor
There’s nothing as classically elegant as a long stemmed wine glass. There’s a reason why, when movie stars, royals, and the richest of the rich get together in the movies, they’re always balancing the stem of a wine glass between their fingers. If you are a frequent sipper of fancy or expensive wines, these glasses might be for you, as they can better regulate the temperature. Some wines taste better when served at the proper temperature, so if flavor is a huge factor for your enjoyment, give these a try. You’ll feel elegant no matter what you’re drinking in these glasses.
Pro: Stemless Glasses Make Great Gifts
As fun as it is to own a set of fancy stemmed wine glasses, or to give a set to your friend, they often are more trouble than they’re worth. They need more room to store, more attention when being washed or packed for a move, and can be straight up stressful to have and use. There’s also the matter of whether or not your friends, wine-drinkers or not, will use stemmed glasses very often. Save your friends and family all of this stress and trouble by giving them a set of fun stemless wine glasses or stemless gin glasses instead. Wine lovers and gin lovers alike will love using these glasses, and will use them for years to come. And since stemless glasses are much more sturdy than their stemmed cousins, the glasses you give them will last them just as long!
When it comes to enjoying wine, a lot comes down to personal preference. Some people simply like drinking their wine out of a stemmed glass versus a modern chic stemless glass. That’s fine, you do you! If you’re willing to try out something sturdier yet still beautiful and fun, give stemless glasses a go. Plus they can fit any venue or be used for various drinks. You’ll quickly learn that they’re well worth the hype.