2019-12-01_Australian_House_Garden

shopping H G

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE&GARDEN| 87

W

hetheryourentertainingstyle

isformalorcasual,nofestive

tableiscompletewithout

beautifulglassware.“Glassesadd

personalitytoanygatheringandcan

bea realtalkingpointaroundthetable,”

saysClaireDriscoll,creativedirector

atStudioCD.“Ifthey’rewellchosen

andcaredfor,theywillalso become

cherishedheirlooms.”

Glasswaremayalsoenhancethetaste

ofa tipple.“Therightglasscanimprove

yourexperienceofthearomatics,mouth

feelandflavour,”saysMarkEvangelista,

assistantbrandmanageratPlumm.

Expertsagreethatshapeisall-important.

“Champagneisbestservedina slender,

tulip-shapedglasstoallowthearomato

fullydevelop.A narrowtophelpsretainthe

effervescence,”saysKaterinaDominguez,

marketingmanageratNoritakeAustralia.

“Redwineshouldbeenjoyedina glass

with a wider bowl to allow it to breathe

andtheflavourstomellow;stemmed

glassesforwhitewine will help keep

thecontentscool.”

Siftingyourwaythroughthemany

stylesofglassesonoffercanbe

confusing,butyoucansimplifythe

processbyfocusingonyourneeds,says

Evangelista.“Thinkingaboutthestyles

ofwinesyouenjoyathomewillhelpyou

choosetherightglasses.Whereyoutend

todrink– atthediningtable,onthesofa

orpoolside– canalsoinfluenceyour

choice.Ifcupboardspaceisata premium,

startwithonestyleyoureallylove.”

Glassisthemainchoiceofmaterial.

“It’sinfinitelyadaptable,”saysLia

Colusso,marketingmanageratVilleroy

& Boch.Crystalcostsmorethanglassas

it’sconsidereda luxuriousmaterial.“It

alsoproducesa melodious‘clink’when

toasting,”saysIzabelaTurlewicz,product

manager at Waterford. Crystalline – a

relativelynewmaterial– looksandfeels

luxurious,butcostslessthancrystal.“It’s

strongerthanglasstoo,”addsColusso.

Qualitycanvary.“Choosea product

thathasbeendesignedforfunctionality

andnotjustaesthetics,”advisesMark

Baulderstone,managingdirectorof

RiedelAustraliaandNewZealand.“The

highest-qualitystemwareismadefrom

lead-freecrystalwithnoimpurities,

whichcanresultincloudinessovertime.

Theglassshouldalsofeelevenly

weightedinyourhand,”hesays.

Individualityisattheheartofcurrent

glasswaretrends.“Isawbeautifulamber

andgreenglasswareattherecentMaison

etObjetfairinParis,”saysDriscoll.

“Wineglasseswereshort-stemmedwith

finerims,whilewaterglassesfeatured

detailingaroundthebase.”Textured

glasswareisbecomingmorepopular,

accordingtoColusso.“Itcatchesthe

light, creating a pretty shimmer.”

Luxemetallictouchesarenolonger

limitedtotherims,saysTurlewicz.

“It’snowbeingappliedtothefootof

theglassorthebowlitself.Pearlescent

glasswareisalsohavinga moment.”

Specialistglasswareisalsoontherise,

accordingtoRenataPuz,headofproduct

atHAGImports.“Withtheboomin

craft-spiritdistilling,glassesthatmake

thebestofthosedrinksaretrending.”

Meanwhile,boldercoloursandtactile

finishesarethego-toforcasualdining,

saysDominguez.Stemlessstylesare

idealforoutdoorentertaining.“They’re

greatforpicnicsorif you’reshort on

storage,”addsBaulderstone.

Fora well-stockedbar,you’llwanta

selectionofflutes,white-andred-wine

glasses,tumblersandcocktailglasses,

saysDominguez.Besuretohavea couple

ofsparesonhandincaseofaccidentsand

impromptu guests, says Evangelista.>

“DON’TBEAFRAIDTOMIXANDMATCHPIECESFROMDIFFERENT

SETS WHEN HOSTING A CROWD.”LIA COLUSSO, VILLEROY & BOCH

WHATTOLOOKFOR

Forglasswarethatmeetsyour

needsandgoesthedistance,

therearea fewthingstoconsider,

saysKaterinaDominguez

marketingmanageratNoritake:

✚OccasionDoyouneed

glasswareforeverydayuse

orforformalentertaining?

Stemlessglasswareisbetter

forcasualandoutdoordining

astheglasswillsitmore

securelyonunevensurfaces.

✚MaintenanceAsa rule,hand

washingwillgiveyouthebest

result,whateverit’smade

from.Notallglasswareis

dishwasher-safe.

✚NumbersBuyingsetsmay

bemorecost-effectivethan

individualsorpairs.

✚LookandfeelCheckthe

glassistranslucent,freeof

imperfectionsandfeels

balancedinyourhand.

✚QualityArecognisedbrand

will likely deliver the goods.

STYLESETTERS

“Champagneflutes,cocktail

glassesandwhiskytumblersare

ourbest-sellingproducts,”says

VesnaVasilevski,homewares

buyeratDomayne.“Tumblers

andhighballs,especially

thin-basestyles,aretrendingthis

season– they’reunderstated,

lightweightandappealingfora

varietyofoccasions.”Prosecco

glassesandChampagnecoupes

arealsohavinga moment,”says

RenataPuz,headofproduct

atHAGImports.“Stemless

glasswareisalwayspopular,”

saysMarkEvangelista,assistant

brandmanageratPlumm.“It’s

perfectforeverythingfromwine

to cocktails and serving desserts.”