1936 Shaking in the 60's by Eddie Clarke

ritual of drinking fine clarets and burgundies. A coloured glass would completely mask the glow and splendour of such excellent wine. We make a slight exception to the rule in the choice of hock or moselle glasses. These particular wines, although most fragrant and beautiful to drink, are in the main fairly colourless in appearance. Therefore glasses with pastel shaded bowls and long darker stems will greatly enhance the drinker's appreciation of the wine itself. It is generally accepted that pastel green should be used for hocks and a pale amber for the moselles. Having dealt with the colour bar problem,one ponders on which sizes to choose, bearing in mind the fact that etiquette demands that on being served a glass should never be more than three quarters full. It also gives the con noisseur ample scope to take in the individual bouquet of the wine,and conduct it in a safe passage to the lips. Even though cocktails do not always add fragrance to their virtues, this must nevertheless come under the same scale as to liquid contents. Otherwise a brimming over drink becomes a very unpleasant thing to hold, especially if the mixture is a sweet and sticky blend. Particular attention should be paid to build ofglassware. 38-24-38 may register as ideal proportions in some statistical minds, but it would be disconcerting to hold a glass with such dimensions, even though the pattern runs along the same lines. Concentrating then on the glasses, the mouth of the bowl must not be too large over the base, otherwise when holding liquid it will topple over fairly easily. Check up also that when empty it does not wobble on its base. The stem should be comfortable to hold—ifit is short and stubby it will cramp your fingers, whilst the long and slender type are generally too thin to get a grip on.

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