There’s a correct way to hold a wine glass - here’s how

Etiquette and decorum aren’t often front of mind when you’re knocking back a bottle of plonk with a couple of friends, but if you ever find yourself in polite society you might feel a little out of your depth.

You might be presented with five forks, three knives and two spoons only to find yourself panicking over which combination you’re supposed to use for your starter. You might be summoned to a dance floor, but your roster of Sabrina Carpenter moves could present a tonal clash.

You might be given a glass of wine and think you couldn’t possibly make a hash of drinking from it but, alas, think again.

Keep those fingers away from the grape juice! (Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)

A sommelier has shared the ‘proper’ method for holding and drinking from a wine glass, and sadly it isn’t as simple as learning one particular grip.

As it turns out, there are different methods for different wines, and it’s all about maintaining the integrity of the beverage.

Anna-Christina Cabrales, the sommelier in question, told WineEnthusiast.com that there are three key things to bear in mind when it comes to correctly holding a wine glass.

1. Your body heat can affect the wine, and where you hold the glass is important if you want to get the heat transfer right. After all, you generally don’t want to warm your wine up, especially if it’s white.
2. The temperature has a big effect on the wine’s flavour profile, so it’s not just an unpleasant warmth you want to avoid.
3. Finally, your palms and fingers can leave prints on the glass – in some circles, that might come off as a faux pas. Those prints might also affect the bouquet, although perhaps you should take that sommelier’s concern with a pinch of salt.

So, how should you hold your wine to avoid committing these sins?

For one, you can use the ‘thumb and forefinger’ technique where the aforementioned digits grip the neck while the other fingers rest on the glass’s base.

Alternatively, you can pinch the stem as though you’re holding a mug, with your free fingers slotted underneath the base.

Now you won't look like a fool next time you're getting half-cut whilst gazing over your vineyard (Maria Korneeva/Getty Images)

Finally, you can hold it by the base with your thumb on top and your fingers underneath like a tray.

Now, onto the specifics of the wine. If it’s a white, hold it as far from the wine as possible to limit heat transfer from your hand to the wine.

For a red, pinch it nearer the top of the stem.

So there you go. It’s all a lot simpler than you might have feared but, if you want to grab it around the glass itself and take swigs like a sailor nursing a hangover, we won’t judge.