Glassware

Chasselas is generally regarded as the most understated of all white wines, and that is exactly what makes the choice of glass tricky. A glass that's too wide disperses the few, delicate aromatic compounds so much that barely anything reaches the nose. A slim, tulip-shaped glass with a narrow opening works better, gathering the subtle notes of hay, white blossom, and sometimes a touch of almond instead of scattering them. That may sound like a small detail, but it makes a real difference.

Temperature is where most mistakes happen. Eight to ten degrees Celsius is right, noticeably cooler than for most other white wines, because Chasselas quickly turns dull and flat when warm. Cold protects its freshness. A Perlan, with its fine, natural prickle, can even take a touch more chill, so the tiny bubbles rise longer in the glass instead of vanishing at once.

Gamaret calls for almost the opposite. Its dense color and firm tannin need a rounder-bellied glass with more air in the upper part, similar to a Bordeaux glass, so the wine's harder edges soften a little before reaching the tongue. Served at sixteen to eighteen degrees Celsius, it shows dark berries and a hint of pepper; served colder, the same tannin only comes across as dry and rough. The glass genuinely helps here.

Garanoir, the softer sibling of Gamaret, on the other hand suits a somewhat smaller glass, since its tannin is naturally rounder to begin with. That's exactly why it so often appears in blends alongside the more austere Gamaret, acting as a counterbalance. Not everyone likes it that way. Together, the two nearly always achieve more than either could on its own.

For Pinot Noir from Geneva, a medium-sized Burgundy glass is enough, not the oversized model familiar from some restaurants, since Geneva's wines are delicate rather than powerful, and too large a glass only makes them seem thin by comparison. It should only ever be poured up to the widest point of the bowl. No more is needed. Above that line there should be room for the aromas to gather — room that's lost the moment you fill the glass to the brim.