Wine lifeGlasses, tools & cellar
Are wine tumblers worth it? A sommelier's honest answer
Yes for the pool, the beach and the boat. No for the bottle you've been saving. When a tumbler beats a wine glass, which kind to buy, and how to get the most out of wine in one.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
3 min read
The short answer: yes, for the places a wine glass doesn't belong: the pool, the beach, a boat, a camping trip, a picnic with kids running around. An insulated tumbler keeps a white wine cold in the sun and doesn't break. No, for the wine you want to really taste: a tumbler's wide, open top lets the aromas escape, and with good wine the aromas are half the pleasure.
What a wine tumbler is
A stemless cup made for wine, usually holding about a standard pour with room to spare. Three kinds are worth knowing:
- Insulated stainless steel: double-walled with a vacuum between the walls, often with a lid. Keeps cold wine cold for a long time. Unbreakable, but you can't see the wine.
- Stemless glass: a real wine glass without a stem, such as Riedel's O range. You see and smell the wine; it still breaks.
- Shatterproof plastic: light, cheap, poolside-safe. Fine for a spritz, not for your best bottle.
Tumbler or wine glass?
| Insulated tumbler | Stemless glass | Stemmed wine glass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keeps wine cold | Best | Fair: your hand warms it | Good |
| Aromas | Weak | Good | Best |
| See the wine | No | Yes | Yes |
| Breaks | No | Yes | Yes, easily |
| Best place | Pool, beach, boat, camping | Everyday, casual dinners | Good wine, dinner parties, tastings |
- Keeps wine cold
- Insulated tumblerBest
- Stemless glassFair: your hand warms it
- Stemmed wine glassGood
- Aromas
- Insulated tumblerWeak
- Stemless glassGood
- Stemmed wine glassBest
- See the wine
- Insulated tumblerNo
- Stemless glassYes
- Stemmed wine glassYes
- Breaks
- Insulated tumblerNo
- Stemless glassYes
- Stemmed wine glassYes, easily
- Best place
- Insulated tumblerPool, beach, boat, camping
- Stemless glassEveryday, casual dinners
- Stemmed wine glassGood wine, dinner parties, tastings
My picks
Best insulated tumbler
YETI Rambler 10 oz Wine Tumbler
Stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation, and a sliding lid that keeps out flies and splashes. YETI says the lid is not leakproof, so keep it upright. Dishwasher safe. Mid-range.
Best stemless glass
Riedel O Wine Tumbler
Riedel's stemless range: real wine-glass shapes, minus the stem. For everyday wine at home and on the balcony, when you still want to smell what you drink.
Best for the pool
Shatterproof stemless wine glasses
Where glass is not allowed or not wise. Look for a shape that narrows a little at the top, so some aroma survives. Value.
How to get more out of wine in a tumbler
- Bring the right wine. Crisp whites, rosé and light, chillable reds suit the outdoors. Save the old Bordeaux for a real glass.
- Open the lid to smell it. A lid is great for flies, but you can't smell wine through it.
- Pour less, more often. A small pour stays colder and has room to breathe.
- Wash it well, lid included. Lids and plastic cups can hold on to old smells. Rinse with hot water and let everything air-dry before the next pour.
For the glass at home, see the best wine glasses and how to hold a wine glass. My guide site Universal Wine Glasses has more on glasses for picnics, camping and travel.
Questions people ask
Do wine tumblers keep wine cold?
Insulated stainless steel tumblers do, for a long time, thanks to the double wall with a vacuum inside. Glass and plastic tumblers don't insulate.
Does wine taste different in a tumbler?
It smells less, because the wide top lets aromas escape and steel hides the colour. With simple, chilled wine outdoors you will hardly mind. With fine wine, use a glass.
Can you put red wine in a wine tumbler?
Yes. A light red, slightly chilled, is lovely from an insulated tumbler on a warm evening.
Are stemless wine glasses worth it?
For everyday drinking, yes: they are stable and easy to store. Hold them low, near the base, so your hand warms the wine less.
For wine lovers · next steps