Is it wanky ...

[PolaDeVeboise]

To hold the stem, rather than the bowl when drinking from a wine glass?

Depends.
champagne flute, fine. Large Bordeaux glass, not fine

DH and I did a sommelier course together, and we were told it was dreadfully common to hold it by the bowl.

We also spent the entire course getting pissed and giggling, and can't remember a lot of much else. (Ah, the pre-kids halcyon days!)

It's not wanky, it's right. I still remember the eyes of the course leader glaring at me as I inched my fingers lower to clutch the stem!

You are supposed to hold the stem. If you hold it by the bowl, the warmth from your hand increases the temperature of the wine.

I wouldn't say it was wanky. I hold the stem because that's what feels right. It's a bit unbalanced otherwise.

I know the 'rules', but just wondered if folk thought I was being pretentious doing it (I'm generally a rosé/white drinker)