Pewter wine goblets are a rare breed and are uncommon in today’s culture. They are made from the metallic alloy known as pewter, which is formed by mixing tin, copper, bismuth, antimony and lead. Pewter has been traced back as early as 1450 B.C, though it wasn’t fully utilized until about the 12th century during the Middle Ages. It was a popular and common choice for silverware, including goblets, back when there were no cheaper materials such as porcelain or glass.
Pewter is primarily composed of tin (about 90 %.) Tin is a very soft and precious metal, which is why traces of copper, bismuth and antimony are added to give it hardness. Actually, lead is no longer used in making pewter because of the hazard of lead poisoning and that lead causes pewter to tarnish faster. When tarnished, it has a dull silvery grey color.
When not tarnished, it boasts an illustrious shine. It has a similar appearance to silver. In fact, some crafted items are made out of pewter and are silver-plated afterwards. Even though silver may be more valuable, pewter is quite valuable on its own.
As a result, pewter wine goblets can be quite expensive. They range from standard looking to beautifully detailed to fully decked out with gems and designs. You can find ordinary pewter wine goblets in sets, but the more uniquely crafted ones come individually. These are best to use as a display to add an archaic flair to the room or to use to clearly distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd sipping their wine (though they probably won’t like you very much for it!)
When shopping for pewter wine goblets, it doesn’t matter what you decide to buy so long as you keep in mind what type of wine it will be used for. Be sure that the shape of the goblet complements the wine. White wine requires a thin, narrow shape, while red wine goblets are bigger and wider to allow aeration.
White wines are usually served colder. They are usually served in the high 40’s to low 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. Because of their more delicate composure, you do not want it to get warm enough that the taste of the alcohol will become dominant on the palate. Instead, you want the subtle flavors of the white wine to stand out. Sparkling wines and champagnes are served the coldest, and generally should not surpass 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The type of wine goblet you use can affect the serving temperature, which I will discuss in a later article.