Wine glass

Abstract

A wine glass constructed from molded plastic includes an upper body defining an upwardly narrowed flume for concentrating the wine bouquet, in combination with a contoured lower base defining an annular moat surrounding a central punt for enhanced visual inspection of the wine. In addition, the upper body further includes a notched indent at an outboard side thereof forming a shelf for facilitated fingertip grasping and manipulation of the assembled glass. In one form, the upper body and lower base of the wine glass are provided as separate modules adapted for assembly to form the wine glass, and disassembly for respective compact stacking. In another form, the wine glass has a one-piece construction adapted for compact stacking by nested reception of the upwardly narrowed flume partially into the underside of the lower base of an overlying glass in the stack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wine glass, comprising:
 an upper generally shell-shaped body defining an upwardly narrowing tapered flume terminating at an upper margin thereof in an open mouth; and   a lower base at a lower end of said upper body, said lower base defining a recessed annular moat;   said upper body having an entirely continuously smooth and rigid external notched indent formed therein generally at a mid-height position between said upper margin and said lower base, said notched indent defining an upwardly facing exterior shelf having a size and shape for convenient fingertip grasping and application of an at least partial downward force opposite said open mouth.   
     
     
         2 . The wine glass of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body and the lower base are substantially transparent. 
     
     
         3 . The wine glass of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body and the lower base comprise a unitary one-piece construction. 
     
     
         4 . The wine glass of  claim 1 , wherein the lower base further defines a central punt circumscribed by the annular moat. 
     
     
         5 . The wine glass of  claim 4 , wherein the central punt defines an upwardly open central cup. 
     
     
         6 . The wine glass of  claim 1 , wherein the wine glass comprises a polystyrene plastic material or a PET plastic material. 
     
     
         7 . The wine glass of  claim 6 , wherein the wine glass comprises a relatively radially stiff construction. 
     
     
         8 . A glass, comprising:
 an upper generally shell-shaped fluid-receiving body defining an upwardly narrowing tapered flume terminating at an upper margin thereof in an open mouth; and   a lower base formed from a lower end of said upper body, said lower base defining a fluid-retaining recessed annular moat fluidly coupled to the fluid-receiving body;   said upper body having a rigid external notched indent substantially continuously smooth throughout and formed therein generally between said upper margin and said lower base, said notched indent defining an inwardly and upwardly facing exterior shelf having a size and shape for convenient fingertip grasping and application of an at least partial downward force opposite said open mouth.   
     
     
         9 . The glass of  claim 8 , wherein said notched indent comprises a non-circumferential notched indent. 
     
     
         10 . The glass of  claim 8 , wherein said upper body and said lower base are substantially transparent. 
     
     
         11 . The glass of  claim 8 , wherein said upper body and said lower base comprise a unitary one-piece construction. 
     
     
         12 . The glass of  claim 8 , wherein said lower base further defines a central punt circumscribed by said annular moat. 
     
     
         13 . The glass of  claim 12 , wherein said central punt defines an upwardly open central cup. 
     
     
         14 . The glass of  claim 8 , wherein the wine glass comprises a polystyrene plastic material or a PET plastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The glass of  claim 14 , wherein the wine glass comprises a relatively radially stiff construction. 
     
     
         16 . A glass, comprising:
 an upper generally shell-shaped body defining an upwardly narrowing tapered flume terminating at an upper margin thereof in an open mouth;   a lower base at a lower end of said upper body;   said upper body having a rigid notched indent being substantially continuously smooth along its entirety and formed therein generally between said upper margin and said lower base, said notched indent having a size and shape for convenient fingertip grasping and application of an at least partial downward force opposite said open mouth.   
     
     
         17 . The wine glass of  claim 16 , wherein said notched indent comprises a non-circumferential notch indent. 
     
     
         18 . The wine glass of  claim 16 , wherein said shell-shaped body and said lower base are substantially transparent. 
     
     
         19 . The wine glass of  claim 16 , wherein said shell-shaped body and said lower base comprise a unitary one-piece construction. 
     
     
         20 . The wine glass of  claim 16 , wherein said lower base further defines a central punt circumscribed by an annular moat. 
     
     
         21 . The wine glass of  claim 20 , wherein said central punt defines an upwardly open central cup. 
     
     
         22 . A wine glass, comprising:
 a generally shell-shaped body defining an upwardly extending flume terminating at an upper margin thereof in an open mouth for selectively receiving fluid; and   a base at a lower end of said shell-shaped body;   said shell-shaped body having an external and generally inwardly and upwardly rigid notched indent formed therein relative to said open mouth, said notched indent being continuously substantially smooth along the entirety of the notch and having a size and shape for convenient fingertip grasping and application of an at least partial downward force opposite said open mouth.   
     
     
         23 . The wine glass of  claim 22 , wherein the generally shell-shaped body and the base comprise a polystyrene plastic material or a PET plastic material. 
     
     
         24 . The wine glass of  claim 22 , wherein the generally shell-shaped body and the base form a generally radially stiff construction.