Stemming the Rise of Greasy Wine Glasses

A couple sits down next to me at an elegant wine bar and order a zinfandel and a merlot. The waiter returns with two huge balloon Riedel glasses. The women reaches out with long, painted and manicured fingernails and grabs the entire bowl of the gigantic glass with her small hand. Protruding strangely from her fingers is the long and untouched stem, which sticking out in this fashion threatens the chin of her companion. After a few sips the once glistening glass is now covered with fingerprints that, combined with the lipstick marks on the lip, make the elegant glass dirty and dingy.

 What is this phenomenon? In this era of glasses the size of decanters why do so many people still insist on grabbing the entire glass and ignoring the stem? This is like carrying your suitcase in your arms instead of using the handle. It seems so clear that the stem is connected to a wine glass so you can hold it, it seems very odd that so many people still insist on grabbing the bowl with their entire hand. With the size of todays glassware you need a big hand to successfully hold the entire bowl with comfort.

There are reasons for the stem on a glass besides the elegant look. By handling only the stem the glassware remains sparking clean so that you can enjoy the appearance of the wine and using the stem keeps the heat of your hands away from the wine. 

I know this fits into the unimportant pet-peeve category, but no one seems to be able to explain this behavior. Perhaps Riedel "O" glasses will take over the market. 

Comments

[Eric LECOURS]

Wine drinkers who hold a wine glass by the bowl lack a fundamental knowledge of table etiquette, like someone who doesn't know how to hold their fork or knife properly.

The problem is ubiquitous. In any fine restaurant it is easy to find numerous diners who don't know how to handle their silverware, their napkin or how to hold a glass properly. Many come from the some of the highest economic classes. They have pride in themselves and wouldn't like any instruction or advice. They don't consider it important.

This country certainly has tremendous advantages over others in many respects. Social sophistication or humility, unfortunately, is not a strong point.

[Jerry Hall]

When offered a nice piece of stemware, no doubt one should use the stem. In addition to the etiquette aspect, how else can you effectively swirl? At least, that's the way I've always enjoyed wine. But on the other hand, my Riedel "O" SB/Riesling glass goes everywhere with me, in my camera/laptop case. I would rather taste wine from a Riedel bowl without a stem than a Hotel plastic cup or bad wine glass. And it fits neatly into a small space without fear of breaking. I even enjoy all the people at tastings who ask me how I broke off the stem. To be honest, I even use my "O" at home when no one is looking.

[cyphunk]

imho, etiquette has it's place only when it makes sense. As the author points out, it has use when admiring or examining the color and consistency of the wine. This is generally something I see most wine lovers do once or twice. The rest of ones interaction with the wine is taste and smell. So I can understand holding the stem for this. Holding the glass by the stem while moving around risks spilling. Hence, holding it by the bowl instead of the stem makes more sense for the majority of time. Also consider that in your example the women had long fingernails. I'd suggest you try holding it by the stem with very long fingernails.

And honestly, holding it by the stem makes me feel like a prick this is why after examining the wine and perhaps oxidizing here or there, I switch back to holding it by the bowl so that whomever my company is not made uncomfortable by my astonishing attention to etiquette.

[Craig Camp]

So you think big greasy fingerprints all over your glass somehow doesn't make you feel like a prick? Holding by the stem increases the risks of spilling? I think you better hit the gym. The whole point of the stem being there is to be held.