Why We Clink Glasses: The History and Meaning Behind Toasting

Every once in a while someone at a wine tasting asks me why we toast and what the deal with that is. I can’t tell you how much I love telling the story of the toast and the symbolism behind it.

The toast is older than most of us realize. I realize that so many different places and cultures have a different saying when they touch glasses, and I’m not really talking about the words we say, but the ritual itself. That resonant clink (like the ringing of a bell in a cathedral) is an summons to connect with someone else and feel that camaraderie with another.

Long before corks popped and camera flashes burst across dinner parties (these days people took “pics or it didn’t happen” to a new level), there was the sound of glass meeting glass, a delicate chime that has echoed through millennia of human joy and grief. It’s the music of unity, of promises, pacts, and peace.

Toasting in the Ancient World

Toasting dates back thousands of years, before even glass had made an appearance and long before wine as we know it.

The Greeks offered libations to the gods, pouring out the first sip of their wine in tribute to Dionysus, the divine embodiment of pleasure and madness. To drink together was to share in divine chaos (still is I suppose), but to toast was to bring order to it, to frame it with intention. The Romans followed suit as they absorbed the Greek culture, offering toasts with gravity, especially when honoring the dead. The word toast, in fact, comes from them. They would drop a piece of toasted bread into their wine and let the char absorb acidity, taming the harshness of early vintages before barrels softened them with time.

Even back then, toasting was sacred. Toasting said, we drink together, we trust each other, and we acknowledge the gods, the dead, and the living.

Fast forward to medieval Europe, a time of poisoned goblets and uneasy alliances. Trust was thin as a dagger’s edge, and so, a new ritual emerged: the clink. Back then, it was no gentle gesture like it is today. Glasses were slammed together with some serious force, so that the liquid could splash from one cup to another. If you dared to toast with someone, you were saying, hey man, drink from your cup, and I’ll drink from mine…we’re equals in this risk.

Alas, that clink became the final sense engaged in us as we drink wine. We see the wine, smell it, taste it, feel its warmth slide down our throats, but the sound we added was the fifth and final rite of passage.

The act of toasting exists in nearly every culture around the world today. In Japan, it’s Kanpai! In France, Santé, Italy, Salute! In China, Ganbei! (which literally means “dry the cup”…cheers with a sense of urgency!)

Each phrase is different, but the intention is the same no matter where you are. It’s to honor the moment and those within it. From Viking feasts to Persian poetry, or African tribal dances to Russian vodka-fueled weddings, the toast stands as a universal gesture of inclusion. It’s a simple act with powerful meaning, assuring someone that that they matter enough to drink with. Also that you didn’t poison their cup.

Superstition, Spirits, and the Devil at the Table

Of course, no ancient tradition survives without superstition clinging to its coattails. If you’ve been here before you know that my husband loves creepy tales and all things spooky, so I had to dive into this part of it.

In some European folklore, the clink was said to drive away demons…loud noises disturbing evil spirits that lurked near celebratory tables. Back then, to toast in silence was a risk, inviting the devil into your circle. If you’ve ever heard that it’s bad luck to toast with water it’s because back then they believed it to be an insult to the spirit of the drink. It’s still considered bad luck in many circles today including in my house.

Heaven forbid you toast without eye contact in Germany and France, this is a serious faux pas. Some say it brings seven years of bad sex or others say it simply means you're untrustworthy. I’m guessing whatever is worse to you is what you’re stuck with.

Either way, eyes must meet when glasses do.

We raise our glasses to the birthday that made it one more year or the promotion that finally came. The wedding that turned two into one or at the funeral where grief tastes like red wine and rain. Even in solo moments, when you clink your glass against nothing but air, you’re participating in a ritual older than kings.

My friend Mary’s favorite toast is “there are new ships and there are old ships, but the best ships are friendships.” She says it every time we get a round of drinks.

The toast reflects the culture, the time, or the fears. In war, toasts are solemn, dedicated to fallen comrades or to peace someday. In love, toasts are messy and to forevers as we wish for more. In our sorrow, we toast because we can’t bear the silence and we want to hold onto the last whisps of the person or thing we’re mourning. For joy, we toast because words just aren’t enough.

In a world of Instagram posts and TikTok soundbites, it’s easy to forget that some things don’t need filters. A simple toast, a quiet clink of mismatched glasses, a bottle of something shared…that’s more than enough.

Even in chaos, we crave meaning, and that’s what the toast gives us.

So the next time you raise your glass, don’t rush it. Let your eyes find the ones you love (otherwise bad things, remember?), and when the glass meets another, listen for that clink, the soft tolling of joy that says: you were here.

Zwiesel Crystal Toasting Flutes – Set of 4
Timeless, dishwasher-safe, and made from durable Tritan crystal, these are the perfect flutes for meaningful toasts, weddings, and quiet nights alike.

Personalized Wooden Wine Glass Charms
Handmade and customizable, these wine charms make each guest feel seen. Ideal for dinner parties and unforgettable celebrations.

Why We Clink Glasses: The History and Meaning Behind Toasting

Toasting in the Ancient World

Superstition, Spirits, and the Devil at the Table

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