After Making A Toast, Be Sure You're Clinking Glasses The Right Way

Picture this: You're at a highfalutin dinner party in your best shoes, palm cupping the delicate curve of a wine glass. Inspired by the communal spirit of goodwill permeating the room, you propose a toast — something short and sweet that elicits a few "Hear, hears" from the crowd. Now, can you think of anything more embarrassing than drawing all that attention to yourself just to clink your wine glass incorrectly? We sure can, and that's by cracking that glass against your neighbor's and spilling wine all over yourself. That's no way to cap off a fancy gathering, so how can you avoid this mistake? The answer is simple: Always clink the bowl of your glass, never the rim.

While not every instance of rim-clinking will result in such a dramatic display, the mouth is where your glass is thinnest and, therefore, the most delicate. For the safest and most acoustically pleasing toast, tap the bowl (sometimes referred to as the bell) instead. That's where the walls of your chalice are most fortified, so the chances of breakage are lower, regardless of what type of wine glass you're using. Plus, the bowl's rounded shape — whether it's a tall, wide Bordeaux glass or a shorter and more bulbous Burgundy style — creates a delightful resonance to mark your celebration.

For those intent on making the best toasting impression, the glasses' point of contact is far from the only consideration. When pouring, fill your vessel only to the bowl's widest point; this maximizes the liquid's oxygen exposure and thus enhances the tasting experience, all while giving you the appearance of a skilled sommelier. Remember to tilt your glass toward yourself before clinking, too, lest you accidentally put your neighbor in the splash zone.

Hand placement also matters. If you want to hold your wine glass the right way in order to preserve taste (and exude the level of sophistication your toast deserves), cupping the bowl — as foreshadowed in our "what not to do" example above — is the wrong move. Instead, pinch the stem. Whether you choose to do so near the middle or the base is up to you, but your index finger and thumb should do the heavy lifting. The pinching method keeps the wine away from the heat of your hand and closer to its ideal serving temperature. No stem on your wine glass? No problem — just limit contact to fingertips only so your toast stays cool and classy.