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Crystal Red Wine Glass. Bordeaux Profile, Lead-Free
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Lead-free crystal red wine glass with classic Bordeaux profile: taller bowl for full-bodied reds. Hand-blown stem, balanced for swirling. Sized for proper aeration without over-pour.
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Features
- Lead-free crystal construction
- Bordeaux bowl profile (taller, narrower than Burgundy)
- Hand-blown stem
- 550ml capacity (proper pour 175ml = 1/3 fill)
- Dishwasher safe (top rack)
- Sold individually for matching sets
- Materials
- Lead-free crystal, hand-blown
- Dimensions
- 23cm tall × 9cm bowl diameter · 550ml capacity
- SKU
- CRW-BORDEAUX
About this piece
A proper red wine glass does one job: it lets the wine breathe before it reaches your mouth. The taller Bordeaux bowl (vs the rounder Burgundy bowl) directs full-bodied reds to the back of the palate, emphasising tannin structure exactly what Cabernet, Bordeaux blends, and Malbec are built around.
Why a Bordeaux glass over a Burgundy glass
Most home wine drinkers should default to the Bordeaux profile (this one) rather than the Burgundy (rounder, wider). Reasons:
- More commonly drunk wines fit it better; Cabernet, Shiraz, Malbec, Bordeaux blends are the volume of the supermarket aisle
- Doesn’t fight medium-bodied reds; slightly over-spec’d for Tempranillo or Sangiovese, but still works
- Versatility — also works for full-bodied whites like aged Chardonnay or oaky white Rioja
- Burgundy glass is a luxury second only worth buying when you specifically drink a lot of Pinot Noir
If you only have one red wine glass profile in the house, this is the one.
How to actually use a wine glass
Pour to 1/3: the empty 2/3 is for swirling and aromatic release. Pouring more defeats the entire design.
Hold by the stem; keeps your hand heat from warming the wine. Reds should be at 16-18°C (slightly cooler than room temperature in a heated UK home), and warm hands push the wine above the optimal range within minutes.
Swirl gently — three or four loose rotations releases volatile aromatics into the bowl. Don’t slosh; the glass is doing the work.
Lead-free, properly
Traditional lead crystal contains 24-32% lead oxide. Lead leaching during a normal half-hour drinking session is minimal but measurable, and increases significantly with acidic wines (most reds are acidic). Lead-free crystal (using potassium oxide instead) gives the same brilliance and refractive quality with zero exposure concerns.
This is full lead-free crystal, not “crystal-style glass.”
Looking after it
Hand-wash in warm water, rinse, air-dry stem-down on a soft cloth or wine glass tree. Top-rack dishwasher safe but stem damage from glass-on-glass contact during the cycle is the primary failure mode hand-washing extends life by years.
If clouding appears after years of use, soak in 1:1 white vinegar and water for 30 minutes. Restores clarity.
Pair with
- See our Best Whisky Decanter Sets Under £200 guide for the full home bar setup including wine glasses
- Crystal Whisky Glass for spirits service
- Crystal Champagne Glasses for sparkling wine
Questions answered
What's the difference between a Bordeaux and Burgundy red wine glass? +
Bordeaux glass (this one): taller, narrower bowl. Designed for full-bodied reds (Cabernet, Bordeaux blends, Malbec, Syrah) directs the wine to the back of the palate, emphasising tannins and structure. Burgundy glass: rounder, wider bowl. For lighter reds (Pinot Noir, Gamay), emphasises aroma over tannin. Most homes need Bordeaux as the workhorse.
Is this lead-free crystal? +
Yes — lead-free crystal made with potassium oxide instead of lead oxide. Same brilliance and refractive quality as traditional lead crystal but safe for daily wine use, including for sustained contact (a half-hour decanting session).
How much wine should I pour? +
175ml (a standard restaurant pour) fills the glass to roughly 1/3: leaving 2/3 of the bowl as airspace for swirling and aromatic release. Filling more defeats the design; the empty headspace is the entire point of a wine glass.
What wines suit this glass? +
Designed for full-bodied reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, Malbec, Syrah/Shiraz, Rioja Reserva, Barolo, Brunello. Works for medium-bodied reds (Tempranillo, Sangiovese) but slightly over-spec'd. For Pinot Noir, Gamay, or other delicate reds, a Burgundy glass with a wider bowl is better.
Is the stem hand-blown? +
Yes each stem is individually drawn from the bowl while the glass is still molten. Slight variations in stem thickness and bowl-to-stem transition are normal and indicate genuine hand work (machine-pressed glasses have perfectly uniform stems and a visible seam line).
How fragile is it? +
Reasonably robust for a hand-blown glass, won't crack from normal use. Stem is the failure point if the glass is bumped over while empty (tip over, stem cracks). Filled glasses are more stable. Store upright, not inverted on the rim.
Can it go in the dishwasher? +
Top rack only, with stem-secure cradles if your dishwasher has them. Hand washing extends life; most dishwasher damage on wine glasses comes from glasses knocking together during the cycle, not from the heat.
Sold as a pair or singles? +
Single glass at £38.99. For matched pairs or 4/6 set, order multiples — same production batch ships together so optical clarity is matched. Couples typically buy 2; entertainers buy 4 or 6.
