I have lost count of the many times this subject has been discussed
here. The results usually are about the same, with opinions covering
everything between absolute yes and absolute no. Controlled scientific
tests are difficult, and what few well controlled blind tests have been
made do not seem to be give a complete answer yet. There is a lot of
psychology involved here. It is somewhat like the Victorian obsession
with the aphrodisiacal effects of foods such as caviar, oysters, etc. If
you believed such foods had such properties, then you might think you
experienced some effect after eating the food.

The best I can tell, the shape or compositon of the glass has little
effect on the best mature wines. These have so much bouquet, that they
often can be smelled acrrss the room. A large glass may help capture
enough of the weak bouquet of a fairly ordinary wine, or a young one,
especially if it is going through a dumb period. Note that even though
Riedel makes a baby bathtub wine glass for Bordeaux that often is seen,
they also make a much more normal sized glass for mature Bordeaux. At
least at home, I do not drink fine wine until it is mature - I think it
is just a waste of money to drink a great Bordeaux or Burgundy before it
peaks, which sometimes can require decades. Thus I have very little need
for over-sized glasses.

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