The most obvious difference between a white wine glass and a red wine glass is that a white wine glass is smaller than a red wine glass. A wine glass with a wider mouth and a shorter, rounder body allows red wine to reach the air better; White wine glasses, on the other hand, are smaller and narrower because they don't need a lot of air.

A red wine glass exposes the wine to more oxygen. They also have a wider mouth and a shorter, rounder body, which allows the wine wider exposure to air. To make it easier for the taster to shake the wine before drinking, allowing it to oxidize further. The act of shaking the glass releases the aromas in the wine, allowing the taster to smell more complex aromas.

White wine does not need to be oxidized in the same way as red wine, so the mouth of white wine glasses is smaller and narrower to reduce the wine's exposure to air. In order to keep white wine cold, the glass needs to be tall and thick so that the taster can hold it easily.