Why Is Wine by the Glass Served in Second-Rate Stemware?

Restaurants are saving their fancy glassware for big-spending bottle orders. But that shouldn’t be the case, argues one writer. [...] Read More... The post Why Is Wine by the Glass Served in Second-Rate Stemware? appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

May 14, 2025 - 22:58

Nothing detracts from a great glass of wine like drinking it out of subpar stemware—especially when everyone around you is swirling and sipping out of much worthier ones.

During a recent trip, I dined at a buzzy oyster house and seafood restaurant with cozy tables, counter seating at the attractive marble-topped raw bar and an intriguing wine list with both expected and eclectic options. Since I was having dinner by myself, I settled on a glass of unoaked Chardonnay from the Pfalz to pair with an icy platter of freshly-shucked bivalves.

The beverage brought to my table was filled almost to the (thick) rim of a glass with a small bowl and short stem—it resembled something you might use for a splash of dessert wine or brandy. My poor racy Chard had no breathing room, and swirling was out of the question. I asked myself if maybe the bar had run out of wine glasses. But as I looked around the restaurant, I noticed that diners who had ordered bottles of wine had elegant, long-stemmed, thinly-rimmed glasses on their tables.

I flagged down my server to inquire about this stemware inequity. He told me their policy was indeed to serve wines by the glass in different stemware than those selected by the bottle. I kindly asked if he wouldn’t mind transferring my wine to another glass so I could better enjoy it—a request he happily and swiftly fulfilled before my oysters hit the table. As I took another sip from my upgraded vessel, it was like drinking an entirely different wine.

Why Do Bottle Orders Get Better Glasses?

This wasn’t the first time that I’ve encountered this practice at a restaurant. A few months ago, a server at a hotel bar brought me bubbly in a brandy snifter because they told me they were reserving the wine glasses for bottle orders. Now that’s an extreme example. But whenever it happens, it’s as perplexing as it is disappointing.

And there’s no parallel in the food world. When I order an appetizer instead of a main course, or choose a half-portion of an entree, it’s not presented on a cheaper plate with chintzy flatware. What makes wine different?

The Case for ‘Stemware Equity’

Acknowledging that it’s a first-world wine problem, I believe in wine equality, that all of us are deserving of a decent glass, no matter how much or how little we order. Even if it’s not the intent, guests shouldn’t feel sheepish about or chastised for ordering “just” a glass. That doesn’t track anyway, since you can make the case that the price for two glasses of a spendy wine often matches that of some bottles.

After my visit, I inquired at the restaurant, Gift Horse in Providence, Rhode Island, to learn more about their rationale for the discrepancy. After all, the vibe that night was welcoming, my server was delightful, the wines were fun and the inspired cuisine (a playful mashup of New England and Korean ingredients) was a home run. My glass-snafu was the only hiccup.

Bethany Caliaro, Gift Horse’s owner and beverage director explains that it all comes down to practicality. “Glassware is the number one smallware that gets broken in a restaurant,” she says. “By using more affordable all-purpose glasses, we can splurge a little on the larger glasses for by-the-bottle and special occasions.”

Gift Horse stocks small Bormioli ISO tasting glasses for by-the-glass pours, which Caliaro says are also useful for showcasing the menu’s wide range of sake and cider. Gabriel-Glas universal glasses are default for bottle pours and served by request. Caliaro likes them since they are dishwasher safe with an ample enough bowl for reds and a dainty-but-not-fragile stem. She also says that smaller glasses are less likely to be knocked over and break when servers set down plates on the restaurant’s small tables; though to be fair, that could just as often happen to diners who order a bottle.

close up on a short thick stemmed wine glass — Getty Images

Does it Matter for Most Wine Drinkers?

Most guests don’t seem to care about the more diminutive stemware, she adds, but staff are always happy to swap it out like they did for me—or field other requests like pouring wine into a bodega or rocks glass. I’m not particularly a fan of these “alternative” wine glassware like stemless options or bistro tumblers, but to each their own.

“Proper glassware is a little thing, but a vital thing in creating a magical wine experience,” says Dave Mattern, beverage director for Truluck’s Restaurant Group, which uses the Riedel Degustazione Red for all still wine. (I noticed that detail during a recent dinner at the Washington, D.C., location, as I’ve been hyper-focused on glassware as of late.)

To be fair, though, comparing stemware policies between a neighborhood seafood restaurant and a corporate chain might be apples to oranges. Mattern admits that wallet-friendly wine glasses are a way for restaurants to keep expenses down, and admits that casual concepts may not stock high-end options (or as many of them.) “I suggest finding a line of glassware from your wholesaler that you like and suits your concept and stick with it,” he says. “Glasses don’t have to be expensive to do the job well.”

As the author of this recent piece about universal wine glasses, I agree. Versatile, quality stemware is available at various price points. Starting at this baseline for guests, then upgrading those who order pricier bottles to upscale stems, makes everyone feel included and ultimately better shows off your wine list.

For her part, Caliaro believes that “glassware should be fun, not make or break—sometimes it’s about a suspension of belief and a willingness to enjoy whatever situation you are in.” I can get behind that—to some extent. While what happened that evening didn’t detract from my overall experience, the glassware glow up definitely enhanced it.