Cheers! Salud! Skol! The clinking of glasses is a sign of joyous times all around the world. Be it in restaurants, bars or the comfort of your own home, special occasions have long been marked by the knocking together of glasses (had you lived in medieval times however, the gesture would have aimed to mimick the sound of church bells to ward off unfriendly demons). Either way, the understated hero of such a moment is the glass itself. An integral part of the whole experience, the glass you choose is much more than simply a vessel. It also plays an important role in the aesthetic, taste and aroma of a drink. A red wine glass, for example, has a larger, more rounded bowl to allow the wine to ‘breathe’ and the rich flavours to develop. A white wine glass is shallower to limit the wine’s contact with air and preserve its crispness. And flutes, with their tall, slim shape, are designed to limit the champagne’s exposed surface area and keep bubbles intact. At Neptune, our shapes range from tumblers and highballs to wine glasses, champagne flutes and coupes. And for the new collection, Islington, the emphasis is on artisanal skill. ‘It’s produced in a specialist factory in Poland, where each glass is mouthblown and hand-finished with an optic twist,’ explains Hannah Edwards, Neptune’s lead buyer and product developer. ‘We wanted to work with makers who could ensure the pure brilliance and clarity of the glass,’ she adds, ‘something the Polish glass industry has been perfecting for over a thousand years.
Glassware styling tips
Glassware adds a decorative element to a tablescape, too.
Here are our top tips for styling your collection.
No.1
Position your glasses where the light (or candlelight) will catch them for extra sparkle (a preparatory wipe with a microfibre cloth will remove any cloudy spots or fingerpritns)
No.2
Mix and match styles - old and new, clear with coloured, and tall with short - for an eclectic look that feels more informal.
No.3
When not in use, group a collecttion of sparkling glassware on a smart tray on a sideboard for a curates display that retains a relaxed look.