Things you need to know.

Nothing is more glamorous or seductive than sipping fine wines and champagnes from full-lead crystal stemware. It’s essential to imagine how you will be using them once you have it home. There are specific glasses for red and white wines as well as champagne. And the key to a successful registry is selecting beautiful items that will define your personal style and make each dining experience memorable for you and your guests.

• Basics:
  
  
  • Favored wine glasses are purposefully made of clear crystal, allowing you to enjoy every colored nuance of the liquid inside.
  • Red wine glasses have a larger bowl and a shorter stem to allow the wine to breath and to be warmed by the heat from your hand.
  • White wine glasses have a longer stem and a narrower bowl so as to keep the wine at a cooler temperature.
  • The glorious champagne flute has the longest stem of all and the narrowest bowl to preserve the freshness and the bubbliness of this much-anticipated delight.
  • Full-lead crystal is one of the finest and most delicate kinds of crystal and is made by combining molten glass with a small percentage of lead oxide. The result is a clear, brilliant glass that is perfect for etching.
  • Crystal is always hand-blown and hand-decorated. A sign of good crystal is the clear ring it makes when tapped.
  • Uncut crystal is smooth glass without decoration.
  • Cut crystal has a pattern cut into the crystal, which can range from simple to ornate.
  • Banded crystal has a gold or platinum rim and requires a bit of extra care.
  • Uncut and softly cut patterns blend with many china patterns. Highly cut crystal generally compliments more formal patterns.
  • Just like your fine china and your stainless steel, special care should be taken when washing your stemware.
• Vera recommends that you:
  
  
  • Register for twice as many wineglasses as place settings so that you have enough glasses to take you from cocktails through dinner.
  • Register for four basic shapes: iced beverage, red wine goblet, white wine goblet and flute. Iced beverage glasses are necessary for moments when alcoholic drinks are not appropriate.
  • Keep in mind the patterns and the finishes of your flatware and china when selecting your stemware. If you choose to register for stemware that has metal trims, make sure that they coordinate with the metals and colors of your flatware and your china.
  • Take into account all the beautiful details of the stemware when selecting the pattern, from the elegance of the stem, the bowl, the decoration, if any, and the feel of the glass in your hand.
  • Remember to include other fine crystal pieces that will accent your new collection of stemware. This may include pitchers, champagne saucers or brandy snifters.
  • Register for an elegant ice bucket to assure serving white wine and champagne at their ideal serving temperatures.
  • Wash fine crystal stemware by hand in warm water and very mild detergent and allow them to dry briefly upside down on a soft cloth. Then, carefully wipe with a lint-free, cotton cloth, holding the piece by the base. Never twist the bowl of the glass against the direction of the stem, as this will weaken the glass and make it prone to breakage. If you feel absolutely confident that your dishwasher has an appropriate setting to wash your crystal, make sure that it is set on the lowest temperature possible as the high heat can damage your stemware. And always allow it to air dry for the same reason.
  • Always store crystal with the rims up to avoid breakage.