The type of wine glasses one uses for each style of wine does impact the experience. Now, whether the specific shape of a glass actually changes the experience significantly enough to worry about the perfect shape for each varietal, that is down to one's sensory impression and experience with each glass. The Riedel family would take you through an elaborate blind tasting and attempt to convince you of their research into the artwork and craftsmanship of their product line. I have done this tasting and it's really neat to see the same type of wine in several different shaped glasses.

Personal preference is really the key here. I can tell you that I have enjoyed every type of varietal out of almost every style and shape of glass. I think their is definitely glassware that shape matters, but I think the thin rim and quality of crystal make more of a difference. The tactile feel on my lips is very important to my personal experience. For me there is nothing worse than drinking wine out of a thickly walled glass. Riedel's Sommelier series glassware is some of the thinnest crystal out there and also the most expensive, but it is magical to me because of it's fine touch on the lips.

Now, on the subject of Bordeaux and what glassware works best for these famous clarets.....I tend to like a pretty large bowl for these wines. The Somm Series Bordeaux Riedel however is a bit large for my liking. I prefer the Vinum or Extreme vinum series because I find them to show a bit more direct focus on the bouquet. A standard Spiegelau all purpose red wine glass or Bordeaux glass also works well. Just as long as the crystal is somewhat thin and not in any way bulky, then I believe one can enjoy the wine properly. Below is an example of a perfect stem or wine glass for a Bordeaux: