Tasting glasses (Taster)

I.N.A.O Glasses

INAO glasses are a particular type of class of wine glass that is certified and approved for use by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. In most cases, INAO glasses are used in the wine sampling and wine tasting activities, such as those conducted at many vineyards. The glasses are also considered ideal for the purpose of professional wine tasting. Here are some facts about the physical design and properties of the INAO glasses, and why these particular wine glasses are favored when sampling wine. INAO glasses are usually designed with a shape that is similar to a tulip. As with all wine glasses, INAO glasses are constructed of a flat base, a stem, and a bowl. Typically, the bowl is designed to hold from five to eight ounces of wine at a time. The tulip design of the bowl is essential when it comes to professional wine tasting, in that the shape makes it easy to swirl the contents around the interior of the bowl, allowing the wine to aerate properly before tasting. INAO glasses are always made of clear glass. This allows the wine taster to also consider the wine based on the clarity of the liquid and the intensity of the color. Finally, the simplistic design of INAO glasses makes it easy for the wine taster to tile the bowl backward and forward, which allows the taster to sample the aroma of the wine as it settles on the sides of the glass.