Research in the US has shown that the size and shape of a drinking glass changes the chemistry of red wine significantly enough to alert an experienced drinker. A claret, for example, needs a large bowl to contain the volatile aromatic compounds that bring out its bouquet, while champagne deserves a thin flute to keep the bubbles going. The latest study, however, reveals that glasses can also affect the chemical make-up of a wine. An experiment at the University of Tennessee a team of researchers poured Merlot into three different glasses and measured the level of a chemical called gallic acid in each. This acid belongs to a class of compounds abundant in red wines, phenols. In all three glasses the level of gallic acid increased shortly after pouring because of chemical reactions. 10 mins later the wine in the three glasses had also changed.
