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Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Looking for a particular answer? Check my archive and my FAQs.

Dear Dr. Vinny,

The residue at the bottom of my red wine glasses drives me nuts. I have tried to carefully clean them, yet the dark stain has collected over time. What to do?

—Brent H., Ann Arbor, Mich.

Dear Brent,

For daily upkeep, I wash all of my glasses by hand; ideally before any wine sits overnight to cause any staining. I use really hot water and no detergent (although I'd be lying if I said I never use a bit of soap on the outside to get rid of greasy fingerprints). I've used some of those specially designed soft brushes for crystal, and a little bit of baking soda as a safe abrasive. For the really stubborn discoloration, I soak in a bit of bleach and hot water and then rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse. And then rinse again.

—Dr. Vinny

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