A good, all-purpose stemmed glass ought to be vertically shaped, with a tall bowl that opens wide at the stem and then tapers gently inward toward the lip. This taper channels aromas upward to the nose, amplifying them as you swirl and sniff.

Over time, many wine lovers develop the habit of swirling the glass, believing that the action increases the wine’s exposure to air and activates the aromas. I believe it. I am an inveterate swirler, to the point where I unconsciously do it even with my water glass.

In order to avoid sloshing the wine onto yourself or, worse, someone else, good glasses should be tall and capacious enough to contain a decent amount of wine when filled a third of the way up. They should not be so big that a third of a glass holds an absurd amount. The rule of thirds allows for swirling without fear of consequences.

This desirable vertical shape is often called a Bordeaux glass, which is generally contrasted with a Burgundy glass, which has a shorter, wider, more rounded bowl. These are traditional terms but in no way binding. You can certainly drink Bordeaux from a Burgundy glass, and vice versa. Burgundy glasses are not bad, but I find the Bordeaux shape to be more versatile. It works well with any sort of wine.

Good wine glasses must be clear, so that nothing interferes with a transparent display of the wine’s color. The glass should not be hued, beveled or decorated in any way that may interfere with its clarity. Nor should it flare outward like a martini glass.

Many regions have used glasses that over generations became part of the area’s cultural tradition. The copita, for example, is a narrow, stubby glass that is used in the Andalusia region of Spain and elsewhere for sherry. Regardless of the tradition, it is a terrible glass for sherry. The all-purpose glass is a far better choice.

Similarly, German riesling is often served in small, narrow glasses with a slight flare outward. These, too, are not in the best interest of the wine. The all-purpose glass is the better option.