Thirsty times - Wine consumption

WHETHER you greet the news that the capacity of wine glasses has increased sevenfold in 300 years and most steeply in the last two decades with a sigh, bemoaning our relentlessly growing appetites, or a cheer, because we have matched design and function to reflect reality, depends on your attitude towards drink.

It is, though, even as the high watermark of the party season approaches, a sobering reminder of how we, or wine sellers, can so easily move the goalposts if that change moves our pleasure graph, too.