Does size matter?

After having passed my first Master Court of Sommelier exam, I received a beautiful set of Reidel wine glasses; I felt so elegant, like I was really living the life.  But then a child came and those crystal glasses were stashed away (ok they broke) and on came the plastic stemware, my elegance was gone.  But I learned something from both of these oversized glasses…..They were too big.  In my Reidel days I filled up those big crystal glasses because well I was young and little naïve (OK stupid) and there was a lot of room in those cups.  Then when I moved to plastic I filled that glass up because I was tired, between raising a kid and working two jobs – I wanted to fill my glass once and settle on the couch for the night.

Well I am sure you know – this is not what Bob Wright would tell us to do; this is not how Lizette coaches us in mindful eating.  I wasn’t thinking about how and what wine I was drinking like I should.  This past Christmas my mother gave to me a set of cut glass crystal wine stems from my grandmother.  When I opened them my first reaction was “How cute,” I mean they could hold four ounces at most (and that was if I filled them to the tippy top).  But I decided on New Years to make a resolution with those glasses.  I would drink wine at home only with them, no more big glasses for me, fancy or plastic.  And here is what I have learned:

• My grandmother’s stemware makes me feel elegant and very grownup – and I deserve that at the end of the day.


• That glassware forces me to be conscious of how much wine I am consuming; I know it holds 3-4 ounces.  (And if I want more I have to get up and walk to go get it, which after long and hectic days can be a long walk.)


• I give thought to the wine I put in that glass because I want the wine to live up to the glass it is going into.  Sometimes that wine is delicious and expensive, but now I am reminded to think about the wine even if it is my everyday reasonably priced quaff.

So size does matter – whether it’s a number on a scale OR the size of your wine glass OR the satisfaction making a change gives you.

And what have I been putting in my family heirlooms lately?

Veitti Barbera D’Asti – bright and cherry flavored with a great acidity that makes it perfect for our cool Lowcountry winters and with all different types of food (even the chicken
Chef Jen taught you how to make this week!)

Bastianich Vespa Blanc – a chardonnay blend from Friuli in Italy that is rich; honey without the oak I wasn't so much a fan

Rombauer Merlot – merlot is usually not one of my favorites, but this one is so rich and supple I can’t resist it when the wind is howling and the skies are grey