Zwiesel Glas Aura

Aura comes in black, blue, green, red and aubergine, and the colour sits in the glass itself rather than in a coating on the outside. Choose the 75 cl carafe on its own and you can pair it with glasses you already own, which works nicely if the rest of your table is neutral. The set with two tumblers is the obvious choice as a gift or for a bedside table, where carafe and glass stand together on a tray. Darker shades such as black and aubergine look calmer on a laid table than red, which comes into its own in summer. You will find more shapes among the carafes.

The carafe is meant for water, cordial and iced tea, not for decanting wine: the neck is too narrow for that, and the colour makes it impossible to judge the wine by eye. Fill it with water, some ice and a few slices of lemon and it will hold its place on the table all afternoon. The tumblers in the set work just as well for whisky or for an Old Fashioned over a large block of ice. For decanting red wine, have a look at the decanters.

Aura is made of Tritan crystal glass, the Zwiesel Glas material that has titanium and zirconium worked into it. That leaves the glass able to handle daily dishwasher cycles without the colour fading or the rim turning dull. Stand the carafe upright in the rack rather than upside down, because water will otherwise stay behind in the neck. If a white limescale haze does appear, a brush with a little vinegar removes it without affecting the colour.

Other series from the same brand can be found among the Zwiesel Glas glasses. If you would rather have a jug with a handle for the table, take a look at the water jugs. Individual glasses in the same style are listed under tumbler glasses, and anyone planning to use the tumblers for a Negroni can read there how it is built up. Complete combinations of carafe and glasses are gathered under glassware sets.