Q: Are Riedel's glass creations out of control?

So now we have a new glass, specially designed for Oregon Pinot Noir.

"After two years of research, comparative tastings, and evaluation of prototype glasses, Oregon winemakers and Georg Riedel have arrived at a new shape of wine glass designed especially for Oregon Pinot noir. "
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What will be next?

What will be next?

Washington?

I demand a Carneros Merlot wine glass! And, a special Dry Creek Zinfandel glass.

Surely every vineyard and every type of wine need their own glass to really bring out the best.

After Oregon and Washington, I would like to round out my collection with an Idaho glass. And no, I don't want it to be shaped like a potato.

Although.......

I thought the Riedel water glass was the step too far personally

I thought the Riedel water glass was the step too far personally

Oh, then you hadn't heard of the new line of Riedel?

There's the Evian water glass, the Pellegrino water glass, the Badoit water glass, the New York tapwater glass and the Tijuana tap water glass (that one comes with a free packet of chlorine with each stem). Extensions to the line are expected soon.

Are there too many Riedel glasses? Maybe, but in this case, it looks as if the Oregon Pinot producers wanted another one. Riedel is just supplying what the market asked for. There's nothing wrong with that. It looks like a good promotion for Oregon Pinot Noir too. I certainly don't own every shape, but I buy the ones that suit my favorite wines and I do like the constant reevaluation and evolution of the shapes. BUT, that said, you're not likely to find Riedel WATER GLASSES at my house!


Prost!
Bill

Damn! I just went out and purchased 10 of every glass in the Sommlier series. I guess I'm going to have to expand my stemware wall.

rwj

In Germany, it's not unusual for beers to have their own customized logo glasses. I'm looking for the Mondavi "Coastal" Merlot by Riedel stem next.

Walt

I think it’s just a big gimmick. Isn’t it true that at most wine judging and competitions an ISO standard wine tasting glass is used? One would think a glass with similar dimensions would make a good every-day wine glass. Basically when looking for stemware I look for a bowl that is approximately 4 inches tall, 2 ½ inches at its widest diameter, and 2 inches across the rim.

Salute

The other night I served water from my toilet in a Riedel water glass. My guests thought that it was the best water they had ever tasted!

rwj

I think it’s just a big gimmick. Isn’t it true that at most wine judging and competitions an ISO standard wine tasting glass is used? One would think a glass with similar dimensions would make a good every-day wine glass. Basically when looking for stemware I look for a bowl that is approximately 4 inches tall, 2 ½ inches at its widest diameter, and 2 inches across the rim.

Salute

well, not really. I've seen the ISO, but I've also seen Schott-Zwiesel and Riedel being used at some of the majors. Part of that may be the eagerness of Schott-Zwiesel, Riedel and others to get their glasses involved in the competitions though.

I went to a tasting recently, albeit sponsored by Riedel, that was very cool. We tasted four old world wines: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay (all French). Each wine was tasted in its proper Riedel glass. We then tasted the same wine in a standard 'Joker' glass. The differences were profound. The aromas and flavors clearly came through in the Riedel glasses and were weak or non-existent in the other glass.

Do I think that one needs every glass in the collection? No, I do not think so. Many glasses are similar in style and hold many different wines well. I have settled on the four we got at the tasting from the Vinum series (yes, we got to take the glasses home). The glasses I have are the Burgundy (Pinot Noir), Bordeaux (Cab, Merlot, Syrah, etc.), Sauv Blanc, and Montrachet (chardonnay). This should do it for me when I have a good wine. For my everyday drinking I have some simple stemless glasses that work fine.

rwj

So now we have a new glass, specially designed for Oregon Pinot Noir.

"After two years of research, comparative tastings, and evaluation of prototype glasses, Oregon winemakers and Georg Riedel have arrived at a new shape of wine glass designed especially for Oregon Pinot noir. "
Click here for source story

What will be next?

I want them to help me get the most out of my next paper bag full of MD 20/20.

Hey, as long as they continue to find people willing to be parted from their money, they're going to continue with these gimmicks.

I'm sure that Oregon Pinot Noir tastes better out of these glasses than it would out of a coffee mug or a mason jar. But is it that much better than an INAO tasting glass, or one of your standard (even Riedel's standard) burgundy/pinot noir tasting glass, to justify the extra cost? I seriously doubt it.

-Paul W.


-Paul W.

We certainly need a Dry Creek Zinfandel glass. Do you think a gallon capacity would suffice?

We certainly need a Dry Creek Zinfandel glass. Do you think a gallon capacity would suffice?

My God, John. I imagine your liver glows in the dark green!

I think it’s just a big gimmick. Isn’t it true that at most wine judging and competitions an ISO standard wine tasting glass is used? One would think a glass with similar dimensions would make a good every-day wine glass. Basically when looking for stemware I look for a bowl that is approximately 4 inches tall, 2 ½ inches at its widest diameter, and 2 inches across the rim.

Salute

I own both ISO/INAO glasses and Riedel and Schott-Zwiesel glasses. The ISO glass are used in tastings not because they show the wines to best advantage but because they are a standardized size and shape and don't do a bad job of giving some impression of the wine. However, if you taste an ISO side by side with a larger Riedel glass, the chances are very good that you'll get a lot more out of the Riedel glass. That is not to say, though, that one should buy into the marketing hype of Georg Riedel et al. The idea that there can be a specific shape that best suits each variety I find laughable, actually.

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton

They had this for the Niagara Icewines glass as well. I think the one I saw had the inniskillin logo on it. This has been around for a few years to Riedel has been doing this for at least that long. I agree with you...it's a bit over the top, especially the water glasses.

I suspect that at least half the push behind this kind of super-specific glass comes from the producers of the wine type, maybe most of it.

I applaud Riedel for bringing the fact that glasses make a difference to how wine tastes to our attention, whatever marketing excesses may occur.

Now if they could just figure out how to make lead free crystal then they might be going somewhere useful.

The future has to be in control software that detects the aromatics and taste profile of a wine, which then automatically adjusts the shape of the glass to the aromatics whilst simultaneously ensuring that the taste is distributed optimally over the tongue. Damn - that wouldn't work either because individuals have different noses, tongues and preferences too, so there would have to be a degree of personal customisation. Might also be a bit disconcerting as the glass changes shape over the course of the evening, or as the wine warms in your hand. (Add your own smiley to taste.)

More seriously, I think the aromatic profile would be the most important factor in determining a good glass shape, and that can vary tremendously within a variety or region, or indeed with a particular wine as it ages. And what would one drink Claret out of?

I think it’s just a big gimmick. Isn’t it true that at most wine judging and competitions an ISO standard wine tasting glass is used? One would think a glass with similar dimensions would make a good every-day wine glass. Basically when looking for stemware I look for a bowl that is approximately 4 inches tall, 2 ½ inches at its widest diameter, and 2 inches across the rim.

Salute

Two wine shows in New Zealand (Royal Easter Wine Show and the Air New Zealand Wine Show) and at least one in Australia (the National Wine Show) use the Riedel Magnum Overture glass. As a lowly steward at the Easter Wine Show, I got to taste a lot of wines using this glass, and it performed very well, particularly for the reds. The judges liked them as well. But they still break if you drop them on a concrete floor. I didn't drop one, but saw someone else do it.

Are there too many Riedel glasses? Maybe, but in this case, it looks as if the Oregon Pinot producers wanted another one. Riedel is just supplying what the market asked for. There's nothing wrong with that. It looks like a good promotion for Oregon Pinot Noir too. I certainly don't own every shape, but I buy the ones that suit my favorite wines and I do like the constant reevaluation and evolution of the shapes. BUT, that said, you're not likely to find Riedel WATER GLASSES at my house!


Prost!
Bill

Bill, I hope you are kidding... WATER GLASSES??? Holy cow! That is uncalled for. But, maybe I am just an regular water drinking and not a serious drinker. Any WATER Enthusiasts out there?

Ciao,
Joe A.