The correct way to hold a wineglass, by the stem.Getty Images/iStockphoto
The question
What is the proper way to hold a wineglass, and does the technique vary depending on the type of wine and glass?
The answer
I'm going to include a link to a photo of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge for illustration. Can you guess which royal gets it right?
The couple were at Amisfield Winery in New Zealand's Central Otago region (a lovely place and excellent pinot noirs, by the way) last year to participate in a tasting. Besides looking striking in her double-breasted Zara jacket and jeans, the former Kate Middleton struck the correct pose while sipping her pinot, pinching the stem with her fingers. The Prince? He's looking dapper, too, but the wine posture could use some coaching. He's cradling the bowl with his hand.
Far be it from me to offer an heir to the throne advice on matters of etiquette. (I've been known to eat chunky soup with a fork.) But we commoners – didn't the Duchess used to be one? – have our rules when it comes to wine. There are two reasons to hold by the stem. It keeps oily fingerprints off the bowl, where they tend to mar the wine's glistening appearance. It also ensures that you don't transfer body heat to the liquid. A wine's flavour can change significantly with temperature, and even reds tend to taste more astringent when consumed too warm.
There is a third way, and that's to pinch the disc-shaped base of the glass between thumb and fingers, as culinary legend Julia Child bravely does here. It will instantly telegraph your wine savvy to everyone in the room, but I'd suggest a little private practice first to get it right.
As for the second prong to your question: The hold-by-the-stem rule applies to all wines – even if it may not apply to all heirs to a throne.
The Flavour Principle by Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol recently took home top prize for best general English cookbook at the Taste Canada Food Writing Awards. Published by HarperCollins.
E-mail your wine and spirits questions to Beppi Crosariol. Look for answers to select questions to appear in the Wine & Spirits newsletter and on The Globe and Mail website.