🍷 Glassblower

A glassblower is a craftsperson who blows objects out of hot glass. They include wine glasses, decanters and wine bottles.

The work goes like this. The maker gathers a blob of glowing glass on the end of a long pipe and blows into it. The glass swells like a bubble. The piece is then turned, shaped with tools or in a mould, and cooled slowly. Glassblowing has been known since Roman times, and in the late Middle Ages makers in Venice and other centres developed the craft.

For wine, the glassblower matters because the shape and thickness of the glass decide how comfortable a wine glass is. A hand-blown wine glass is made by exactly this person. Today most bottles and glasses are machine-made, but expensive and designer pieces are still blown by hand. The trade needs steady hands, patience and experience, and takes years to learn. Glasses, decanters and bottles remain the main products of the trade, and workshops are often small family teams.