How to Hold a Wine Glass

If you're already sweating the upcoming workplace holiday party, maybe a little wine glass 101 will boost your confidence ... thus helping you make a good impression on the boss! The trick to drinking wine in public is to be comfortable with your beverage. You don't want to come across as a wine nerd, but neither do you want to seem uninitiated.

Central conundrum: is it ever okay to cradle the glass in your hand? Or should glasses be grasped by the stem? Wine and fine dining experts make quite a fuss about this, insisting the elegant stem grip is the only way to go. They say it prevents body heat from warming the drink and also keeps messy fingerprints from obscuring the beverage's fine hue.

That's the theory anyway ... and not everyone agrees with it. WineCOW, for example, writes it off as a classic bit of wine snobbery, sagely noting that gently grasping the bowl for a mere few minutes is unlikely to warm the drink or muss up the bowl all that much.

Bottom line: do what you want at home or out with friends, but at a formal occasion or work event play it safe with the traditional stem grip.

Basically, it's a little like a man having to wear a tie to a wedding. Yes, he knows it's a silly strip of fabric ... but he goes with the flow to show he can dress with the best of them. Same goes for you and your wine glass. You know you don't have to hold it by the stem, but you do it at a work function just to show you know how to handle your wine.

Oh and remember: In a self-serve situation, be sure not to over-fill your wine glass. Aim for one third to one half full, not more! The balloon-shaped glass bowl is supposed to be mostly empty, allowing you to savor the wine's bouquet. Enjoy!