As fall plans and events come into focus, a number of my private tasting clients have been asking me how many glasses should we have at the tasting?

My answer is nearly always let’s plan on one glass per person with a few extra for breakage and/or unforeseen technical issues.

Just one glass? Yes, just one.

Here’s my thinking.

One glass reduces cost, reduces the amount of water expended for washing, reduces clutter, reduces waste, and keeps the taster focused on the glass before them.

But should we be rinsing the glass with water in between wines? my clients ask.

Many seasoned wine industry professionals (including me) believe that you should never rinse a wine glass with water; you should always rinse with wine.

The main two ingredients in wine are water and alcohol. When you rinse with water, the residue liquid can affect the balance, however slightly but significantly. It’s kind of like using equalization on your stereo: you’re slightly modifying the artist’s original intent.

Water also has its own flavor, which can also impact the wine.

If you rinse with wine, even a different wine from the one you are about to taste, you stay closer to that balance. And you also avoid any flavor that the water may add.

So, with just one glass, even as you shift from one wine to the next, you limit the outside factors because the glass is always primed with wine.

One glass also forces you to focus your attention on one wine at a time.

How many times have you been at a wine dinner or wine tasting with tons of glasses on the table? People, especially laypeople, often forget which wine they are tasting!

Of course, there are exceptions. The whole point of a vertical or horizontal tasting is to experience different vintages or different parcels or grape varieties side-by-side.

But as long as there are dump buckets provided, just one glass per person keeps my tastings running smoothly and with greater focus.