Stemless glasses for wine: Is there any benefit?

Why are we seeing more stemless wine glasses...?

What are the benefits of stemless glasses?

Neil Evans, Belgium, asks: Wine tumblers and wine glasses without a stem seem to be very popular. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Xavier Rousset MS, co-owner and manager of Blandford Comptoir in London, replies: I’m not sure there are any advantages to a stemless glass.

The only benefits I can think of centre on practicality: easier cleaning and storage, and less chance of breakages.

But those aren’t good enough reasons to justify buying them in my view.

Stems are needed to keep the glass free of fingerprints, and to ensure that you don’t warm the glass and subsequently the wine.

You just need to clean them carefully to avoid breakages.

Most breakages happen while drying the glass; the pressure of the twist that is applied to the stem can make it snap.

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