Wine lifeGlasses, tools & cellar
How to hold a wine glass (and why the stem is there)
Hold it by the stem. Why that matters, how to hold stemless glasses and flutes, how to swirl without spilling, and the small habits that show you know wine.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
3 min read
The short answer: hold a wine glass by the stem, between your thumb and your first two fingers, with the other fingers resting lightly on the stem or the base. Keep your hand off the bowl. That's it. Everything else is detail.
Why the stem matters
- Temperature. Your hand is warm. Wrap it round the bowl and a chilled white or a sparkling wine warms up faster than you want.
- A clean bowl. No fingerprints, so you can see the colour and clarity of the wine.
- Swirling. It is far easier, and safer, to swirl a glass held by the stem.
- Sound and feel. A glass held by the stem rings clearly when you toast, and it simply looks like you know what you are doing.
Step by step
- Pinch the stem between thumb and index finger, about halfway down or a little lower.
- Support it with your middle finger; let the ring finger and little finger rest on the stem or tuck under the base.
- Keep your grip relaxed. Thin stems need a light touch, not a fist.
- When you drink, lift from the stem and tilt the glass gently toward you.
Other glasses, other grips
| Glass | How to hold it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stemmed wine glass | By the stem | Keeps the wine cool and the bowl clean |
| Stemless glass | Low, near the base, with your fingertips | Less of your hand touches the bowl; expect the wine to warm a little |
| Champagne flute or tulip | By the stem | Sparkling wine is served cold and loses freshness as it warms |
| At a professional tasting | By the base, thumb on top, fingers underneath | A steady grip for tilting the glass over a white background to judge the colour |
| Brandy snifter | Cradled in the palm | Traditionally the one glass you warm with your hand |
- Stemmed wine glass
- How to hold itBy the stem
- WhyKeeps the wine cool and the bowl clean
- Stemless glass
- How to hold itLow, near the base, with your fingertips
- WhyLess of your hand touches the bowl; expect the wine to warm a little
- Champagne flute or tulip
- How to hold itBy the stem
- WhySparkling wine is served cold and loses freshness as it warms
- At a professional tasting
- How to hold itBy the base, thumb on top, fingers underneath
- WhyA steady grip for tilting the glass over a white background to judge the colour
- Brandy snifter
- How to hold itCradled in the palm
- WhyTraditionally the one glass you warm with your hand
How to swirl without spilling
- Pour only a third of the glass, so the wine has room to move.
- Beginners: keep the base on the table and draw small circles. It is spill-proof, and your wrist soon learns the movement.
- Then smell straight away, while the aromas are rising.
- Don't swirl sparkling wine hard: you knock out the bubbles you paid for.
Habits that give you away
- Holding the bowl like a cup of coffee.
- The little finger in the air. Nobody needs it.
- Filling to the brim. No room to swirl, no room for the aromas.
- Clinking rim to rim. The rim is the thinnest, most fragile part of the glass. Touch glasses at the widest part of the bowl instead.
Does it really change the taste?
With a chilled white, rosé or sparkling wine, yes: a warm hand on the bowl warms the wine over the course of a glass, and it loses its freshness. With a red served a little too cold, cupping the bowl for a minute is a perfectly good trick to warm it up. Knowing when to break the rule is part of the fun. Good wine is about how it makes you feel, not about being told off for your grip.
The glass matters too: see the best wine glasses, and if you drink outdoors, are wine tumblers worth it? For more beginner-friendly wine habits, try the best wines for beginners.
Questions people ask
Should you hold a wine glass by the stem or the bowl?
By the stem. It keeps the warmth of your hand off the wine and fingerprints off the bowl.
How do you hold a stemless wine glass?
Low down, near the base, with your fingertips rather than your whole hand. Pour smaller amounts so the wine doesn't sit and warm.
How do you hold a Champagne glass?
By the stem, like any wine glass. Sparkling wine is served cold, so keep your hand off the bowl.
Is it rude to hold a wine glass by the bowl?
Not rude, just less practical. The wine warms faster and the glass gets smudged. With a cold red, it can even help.
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