Best for brandy

In the French town of Cognac, where brandy is king, the last vessel connoisseurs would deign to raise to their lips is a snifter -- the large surface area volatizes the alcohol too much, and that’s pretty much all you smell. Cognac and other fine brandies are more properly sipped from small glasses with rounded bowls and slightly narrowed “chimneys” that focus the aromas.

These 7-inch tulip-shaped Riedel glasses are from the company’s Vinum line of mid-priced stemware. They’re elegant enough for company, but not too fragile for everyday use.

Riedel Vinum Cognac-Hennessy machine-made glasses. Available at a variety of retail locations including Wine House, West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, $13 each; and at Williams-Sonoma stores, $22 each.