Beyond Conventional Wine Glass Etiquette

My question is about wine glass etiquette.

What is the correct way to hold a glass of wine? It’s confusing because I was taught to hold a wine glass by it’s stem, because holding the glass by the bowl warms the wine, but everywhere I look, whether in a pub, fancy restaurant or party, most people are holding on to that bowl of wine and not the stem. What is the modern etiquette for holding a wine glass?

–AG, Providence, RI

About wine glass etiquette.

There are actually those who believe that knowing how to hold a wine glass correctly is an intragal part of having good table manners. It’s as important as eating food using good table manners. And that the manner in how you hold your wine glass says a lot about who you are.

The truth is that many of us are apparently holding our wine glasses incorrectly. But with further investigation, I would say maybe not. I’m speaking from beyond conventional etiquette and manners.

Yes, if you are seated at a dinner party or restaurant you would take care in lifting your wine glass off the table by gently clenching the post between the bowl and the stand with your fingers, and then resting the glass with care after taking a sip.

However, if you’re at a mixer event where you’re on your feet socializing, networking, and shaking hands, the situation is different. Holding the post (or stem) of the wine glass is riskier than cupping the bowl with your hand. This way you can keep the red wine from tippling over onto your mother-in-law’s white rug.

Wine experts say that holding the bowl of the wine glass warms the wine – and especially with chilled white wine, rosé, or champagne – should simply NOT be done.

I, on the other hand, say the exception should be that when you’re on your feet in a crowded space and you don’t want to dribble your wine on someone or have someone bump into your glass – cup the bowl from underneath.