What type of glass is proper for serving desert wine?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Dessert wine might refer to late-harvest wines, sometimes quite delicate and of rather low alcohol (in some cases, less than 10%). The term applies as well to more assertive wines to which alcohol has been added such as Port or Vin Doux Naturel (resulting in 15% to 20% alcohol by volume, approximately). As for the best glassware, bear in mind that, whatever the style, these rich and sweet wines are consumed in small servings by most people. For a white from late-picked grapes or those touched by "noble rot," a somewhat smaller white wine glass with more of a tulip-shaped bowl often shows the wine at its best. Many fortified wines are typically served in smaller, shorter glasses, but the one I've suggested for sweet whites can be a good choice as well. Avoid glasses with either enormous bowls, which are very fashionable for reds, or tiny liqueur glasses. My personal choice would be the modestly priced, lead-free Stolzle Lausitz Experience Port/Sherry/Dessert glass holding 6.75 ounces. The tapered bowl has a wider, flatter bottom. This strikes me as a great design and value. (By the way, I don't have any affiliation with this company.)
