I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking Dracula would have to be your guest if you’re pulling out black wine glasses.  But here me out.  There is a good reason to do this.

Now certainly, there is a certain dark elegance to the black wine glass.  They can certainly stand out on the table simply be there uniqueness alone.  It’s an interesting way to present your beverage.  But more than that, it prevents you from seeing what is in the glass.  I can hear the purists now.  ”But I want to SEE the beautiful color of my wine!!!”

I hear you.  It’s nice to see the beverage you are drinking when it has an attractive color.  But if you are really looking to work your palate and see if you can still detect what kind of wood the barrel was made of, use black wine glasses.  Not being able to see the color of your wine forces you to really taste the wine.  If you are into wine tasting, a set of black wine glasses is a must.  Not only are they good for training your palate, they are also great to have on hand if you are planning a wine tasting party.

And it provides a good surprise for your guests too.  Hand them a black wine glass full of… something, and they will look to you for an explanation.  That’s when you explain the magic of letting your mouth and nose be the only sources of input where the wine is concerned.  Make a game out of it.  A drinking game, if you will.  Hey, we’re all being social and hoping to have fun anyway, right?  This is not a drinking game for immature adolescents.  It’s one for adults and will help everyone to taste wine in a different way.  I’m sure you are aware that a blind person has a much stronger sense of smell and hearing.  A black wine glass effectively blinds you to the visual interpretation of wine.  Try it!  I’m confident you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

And of course, if you are just throwing that Gothic party and hoping to add a dash of mysterious darkness to the occasion, you can’t go wrong with a set of black wine glasses.  As far as wine glasses go, these are some of the most fun.  Enjoy!

Sometimes brightly colored or painted glass is a bit much for the occasion you are planning.  A more elegant solution to consider are etched wine glasses.  A set of these can be unique yet understated enough to prevent any unwanted garishness.  When picking out a set of etched glasses, there are a few points to consider.

Ornamentation:  Just how deeply etched do you want your glasses to be?  It is possible to have too much of a good thing depending on the theme of your dinner party.  You’re own personal style should also dictate just how ornate the etchings are on your set of glasses.  Don’t let someone else make the rules for your gathering.  Allow your own sense of style to make a party truly your own.  The level of ornamentation on a glass is really a reflection of your taste, style and personality.  So have fun with it!

Formality:  Generally speaking, etched wine glasses are best for more formal social events.  Where colorful hand painted wine glasses would fit in nicely with a casual atmosphere, formal or semi-formal gatherings would benefit best from a more aristocratic choice of glassware.  And remember, everything I’m listing out here are simply ideas.  They are not hard fast rules.  There are always exceptions and there is nothing wrong with any wine glass you might use for an occasion.  These are just suggestions for those who are looking.  After all, if you are shopping for some glasses, it would do to envision just how you would use them.  That will always help you to make a better decision.

Shape:  A lot of etched glassware will vary in shape by quite a bit.  Some of them look more like punch or party glasses.  There is nothing wrong with these but if you are concerned about formality, you will probably want to avoid them.  However, if an elegant party atmosphere is what you are after, a non-traditional shape might be just what the doctor ordered.

Season:  Don’t forget to match up with the season.  If it’s a Christmas event you are planning, then you may want to find etched wine glasses that reflect that.  Stick with the season or theme of the day and you won’t go wrong.  Of course, you may also go with a more neutral pattern and avoid clashing with any time of year.  Whatever you want to do is up to you.

All in all, etched wine glasses make a graceful and polished feel to any dinner party.  For special occasions and formal gatherings, you really can’t go wrong with a set of these.