You're at a dinner party. Someone hands you a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. You take it, take a sip, and a small voice in the back of your head asks: am I holding this right?
It's a fair question. Most of us were never formally taught how to hold a wine glass, and the answer matters more than you might think. The way you cradle your glass affects the temperature of the wine, how clearly you can see it, how well you can swirl it, and yes, how comfortable you feel at the table.
The good news: there's no complicated etiquette to memorize. Just a few simple habits that will make every pour feel more natural.
Why the Way You Hold Your Glass Matters
Wine is temperature-sensitive. Even a few degrees can change how the aromas open up and how the flavors land on your palate. When you wrap your hand around the bowl of the glass, your body heat (around 98°F) transfers straight into the wine. For a chilled Pinot Grigio or Rosé, that warmth can flatten the wine within minutes.
There's also the practical side. Fingerprints and smudges on the bowl make it harder to see the wine's color clearly, which matters more than you might guess for evaluating age and character. And cradling the bowl can feel awkward when you swirl, which limits how much aroma you can coax out of each glass.
The Correct Way to Hold a Wine Glass
Hold the Stem
The single most important rule: hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl. The stem exists for a reason. It keeps your hand off the wine, preserves the temperature, and keeps the bowl clean.
Use your thumb and first two or three fingers to grip the stem near the base of the bowl. Your remaining fingers can rest gently against the foot for balance, or simply curl naturally. There's no need to extend a pinky or angle your wrist in any particular way; comfort is the priority.
Find Your Grip
Two grips work well, and both are widely accepted:
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The middle stem grip: Pinch the stem between your thumb and index finger, halfway down. This gives you control and feels stable for sipping and gentle swirling.
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The foot grip: Hold the base of the foot (the flat part at the bottom) between your thumb and first two fingers. Sommeliers often prefer this for tastings because it keeps the bowl completely clear and visible. It takes a little practice, but it feels surprisingly natural once you try it.
Either is correct. Pick the one that feels steady in your hand.
How to Hold Different Glasses
Not every wine glass calls for the same approach. Here's how to handle the most common shapes.
Red Wine Glasses
Red wine glasses have larger, rounder bowls to help bolder wines like Malbec and Syrah breathe. The longer stem gives you plenty to hold. Use the middle stem grip for everyday sipping. When you swirl, keep the base on the table and move the glass in small circles. This is gentler on the wine and less likely to spill.
White Wine Glasses
White wine glasses are smaller and more upright to preserve cool temperatures. Hold the stem firmly, lower down toward the foot. This puts maximum distance between your hand and the bowl, which keeps your Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc crisp for longer.
Champagne Flutes and Sparkling Glasses
For sparkling wines, the long, narrow flute is built for one purpose: keeping bubbles tight and slow. Hold the stem near the bottom, not the bowl. Warmth from your hand speeds up the loss of carbonation, so the lower you grip, the longer the wine stays lively. Tulip-shaped sparkling glasses follow the same rule.
Stemless Glasses
Stemless glasses are a different conversation. There's no stem to grip, so the bowl is your only option. To minimize warming, hold the glass near the base with your fingertips rather than wrapping your whole palm around it. Set the glass down between sips when you can. Stemless glasses work well for casual settings, but they're not ideal for wines you want to keep cold for a long time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits that quietly undermine your wine experience:
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Cupping the bowl with your whole hand. Warms the wine and leaves the bowl smudged.
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Holding the glass too high on the stem, right under the bowl. Limits your swirl and makes the grip feel cramped.
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Pouring too much wine. Most wines should fill the glass only a third of the way, leaving room for the aromas to develop. Overfilling makes the glass heavier and harder to handle.
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Death-gripping the stem. A relaxed grip is a stable grip. Squeezing makes your hand tire faster and your movement less smooth.
A Few Etiquette Notes
When toasting, lean in slightly and tap the bowls (not the rims) gently together. Look the other person in the eye. The clink should be soft enough that you can hear it, but not so firm that the glass actually rings.
When passing a glass to someone, hand it over with the stem facing them so they can take it cleanly. And when setting a glass down between sips, place it just to the right of your plate, slightly above the dinner plate.
These are small details, but they make every pour feel intentional.
How To Hold a Wine Glass: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Still have questions about holding a wine glass? Here are the ones that come up most often.
Does it matter which hand you hold a wine glass in?
No. There's no rule about left or right. Use whichever hand feels most natural and stable. Some people prefer their non-dominant hand so their dominant hand stays free for gesturing, eating, or reaching for appetizers.
Is it rude to hold a wine glass by the bowl?
It's less about rudeness and more about practicality. Holding the bowl warms the wine, leaves fingerprints, and makes swirling awkward. In a formal tasting or dinner setting, it signals you're not familiar with wine etiquette, but in a casual environment nobody is keeping score. Just know that your Sauvignon Blanc will thank you for the stem.
Should you hold a wine glass differently for red vs white wine?
The same basic rule applies: hold the stem, not the bowl. That said, temperature is even more important for whites and sparkling wines, so gripping lower on the stem (closer to the foot) is especially helpful there. For reds served closer to room temperature, the grip can be a touch more relaxed.
What's the proper way to clink glasses during a toast?
Touch the bowls together gently, not the rim. The rim is the thinnest, most fragile part of the glass. Make eye contact, keep the clink light, and let the glass do the talking. A soft, clear ring is the goal.
How full should a wine glass be?
About one-third full is the standard pour for most wines. That leaves enough space in the bowl for aromas to gather and for you to swirl without making a mess. For sparkling wines in a flute, you can fill it a bit more since there's less need to swirl.
Pour With Confidence
Holding a wine glass correctly isn't about looking polished at parties. It's about giving the wine its best shot at tasting the way it's meant to. The stem grip keeps your wine cool, the bowl clear, and your swirl smooth. Three small benefits that add up to a much better glass.
Ready to put it to good use? Browse our best-selling bottles and pick something worth holding properly. From crisp whites to bold reds, every bottle has a stem waiting for the right grip.