What to avoid. The most overlooked feature in glassware is the rolled rim, easily detectable by a slightly bulging lip (versus a narrow tapered one). Not only does this block the wine from leaving the glass, it’s a sign of inferior quality. Those six-for-$10 packs almost inevitably have rolled rims.

Skip skinny or shallow glasses with more looks than functionality. Unless you’re drinking riesling, flared bowls or rims are unnecessary. Ditto flourishy stems, or those massive jug-like goblets.

Cut or etched designs may enhance the look of the crystal, but mostly just obscure the wine. Flat-bottomed glasses don’t really let you swirl the wine, which releases its flavor.

Keep it clean. Many wine pros are freaked out about using soap, but the rules aren’t quite so simple.  Everyday glasses can survive the dishwasher provided you steer clear of harsh detergents and carefully wipe the glass afterwards. (And don’t crowd them in the dishwasher, Riedel points out.)

More expensive stemware should be hand-washed; dish soap is OK on the outside if you apply it with a finger, but don’t put soap inside the glass. If you aren’t going to wash a glass the same evening you use it, leave some water inside to prevent staining.

Yearning to breathe free. Cabinets impart their own musty, veneered scents to a glass.  I battled with a stale scent from my own kitchen cabinets for nearly two years, wiping out and shaking my glasses to clear out the must, before I gave up and moved them to a neutral-smelling closet.

Give the cabinets where you store your glasses a good cleaning, Don’t put glasses immediately into new or newly stained woodwork.  Don’t store them upside down (it’ll only trap stale odors) and keep them freshly washed, at least once a month. “They’re not supposed to be dust-catchers,” Riedel says.

Betz endorses a popular technique of seasoning the glass with a bit of wine he’s about to taste: pour a bit in, swirl it around, then dump it out (or into the next person’s glass) before pouring yourself a full serving. The wine rinse helps wash away residue and off scents.

TASTING NOTES
Here’s four international takes on syrah, a great choice for a blustery October day.

Cave de Sarras 2000 Saint-Joseph Cuvée Tradition (Vins de Vie, $10): A true curiosity. Saint-Joseph may be one of the best values in the northern Rhone, but most still cost far more than this. Aged for 18 months in stainless steel, this is an everyday table wine with an above-average pedigree: a straightforward classic French syrah, with aromatic hints of burnt rubber (that’s a good thing, by the way) and black pepper. The fruit comes after that, and the whole package is smooth and refreshing, with a medium body.

Fairview Goat-Roti 2003 (Vineyard Brands, $15): One big honking wine from the folks who brought us Goats Do Roam. Mostly syrah, with 12 percent mourvèdre and 3 percent viognier. Dark and pungent, with brown spice and floral notes from the viognier standing out. That viognier is meant to evoke true Côte-Rotie, which explains the name. For a wine with 14.5 percent alcohol, it has impressive balance. Hard not to like.

Jaffurs 2001 Santa Barbara County syrah ($23): Brambly and full-bodied, with dark plum and hints of black pepper. It's rich, without going too far overboard. A bright finish with fine tannins balances everything out. The southern California fruit is up front, but a second wave of aromatics — spice and citrus zest — helps provide an interesting depth.

Peter Lehmann 2002 Barossa shiraz  (Hess Collection, $15): A bit formulaic, but there’s good solid black fruit. Some warm oak notes make it seem more like a Cab than a shiraz at times, but solid traditional hints of salt and rubber are still in the mix. Its edges are soft, and yet it still has some zing in its core. Beyond the standard Aussie offering.

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