Red wines, at least partly because of their ability to form more complex subtleties, are typically more expensive. Some of the most expensive come from Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Such premium wines are often at their best years or even decades after bottling. On the other hand, they may spoil after such long storage periods, unbeknownst to the drinker about to open the bottle.

Part of the expense associated with high-end wine comes from the number of bottles which must be discarded in order to produce a drinkable wine.
 

Does glassware really affect the wine tasting experience? At Seattle's Taste Washington wine and food festival, a Riedel executive leads participants on a tasting of wine in various glasses. Each participant will take home a set of four Riedel Vinum Extreme series glasses. Serve the reds in big Riedel wine glasses with plenty of room to breathe, yet the pour should not be skimpy.