The 6 Best Plastic Wineglasses
Summer is here and with it an itinerary that probably includes poolside BBQs and park picnics. Since breaking out the good glasses for outdoor events is ill-advised, having dedicated plastic wineglasses is a smart investment. In our best stemless-wineglass round-up, Steven Grubbs, wine director at Atlanta restaurant Five & Ten, told us that when it comes to “casual, rugged, and outdoor portable drinking,” you can’t beat plastic. “I believe if you’re in a scenario where stems are too precious or dainty,” he explains, “then actual glass is probably a liability there too.” Lucy Devlin, vice-president of wines at Naked Wines, adds, “Plastic wineglasses do not have any negative impact on the taste of the wine, so people should drink out of whatever they like best.” With that in mind, I asked Grubbs and ten other wine experts about their go-to favorites for outdoor-drinking season.
According to Joel Kampfe, sommelier and co-founder of Unrooted, a monthly natural-wine club, “Govino plastic cups take the crown,” adding that they can’t be beat when it comes to reusability and durability. “It’s a super-versatile size, great for sparkling, white, or red wine, and it also nicely fits cocktails on ice, like an Aperol spritz,” says Thomas Pastuszak, wine director at the NoMad and founder of Empire Estate, a winery in the Finger Lakes region. “There’s a really convenient dimple on the bottom and side of the glass, for an even more stable grip.” Joel Burt, co-owner and winemaker at Las Jaras Wines and WAVES, also points out that Govino now makes dishwasher-safe glasses, which is a huge plus.