At Baton Rouge boutiques, stemware is an art form

Candy-colored flutes, iridescent coupes and stemless, playfully inscribed cups are reminders of what drinking wine is really all about: having fun 🥂✨

Jennifer Tormo Alvarez

Photography by Collin Richie

September 2, 2025

Identical syrahs at two restaurants may not taste the same. And the difference might just come down to the vessels they’re served in.

Glassware tailors the taste in subtle but significant ways. A cup’s size and shape alter the amount of air interacting with the liquid. That’s why Champagne is served in slender flutes, which preserve the carbonation for longer, or coupes, which let the aromas shine.

Clutching a beverage by its stem spares it from your hands’ body heat. And the thickness and composition of the glass can influence everything from the wine’s temperature to its texture.

But vino is just as much a visual experience.

Candy-colored flutes, chunky art-deco stemware, iridescent coupes and stemless, playfully inscribed cups are reminders of what drinking wine is really all about: having fun.

This article was originally published in the September 2025 issue of 225 magazine.

By Jennifer Tormo Alvarez

Jennifer Tormo Alvarez was the editor of “225” for nearly 11 years, leading the magazine through two print and digital redesigns, three anniversary years, a flood and the pandemic. She is obsessed with restaurant interiors, sparkling water, Scorpio astrology memes and, admittedly, the word “obsessed.” She is willing to travel to see indie bands in concert, but even better if they play a show at Chelsea’s Live.