Riedel Vinum Chardonnay/Chablis Wine Glasses, Set of 6

What can we learn from a Riedel (rhymes with "needle") glass? That size matters, as does shape? That form following function has meaning for wine-lovers as well as designers? Or perhaps the deeper lesson that the contents of an outwardly "plain" glass may provide a more sensual, complex, and rewarding experience than those of a superficially beautiful one? The Austrian Riedel family has been involved with glass-making since 1756, but it was two centuries later that Claus Riedel conceptualized a glass made specifically to enhance the flavors and aromas of a designated wine. Through an involved process each style of glass is crafted to accentuate the strengths, while minimizing the weaknesses, of a particular spirit. This is done through changes in the size and shape of the bowl, the diameter of the opening and the cut and polished lip which directs the wine towards a specific area of the tongue. Small wonder Riedel stems are preferred by sommeliers and oenophiles world wide for their ability to transform the perception of a wine. ...Read more

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When you first hear of the philosophy behind Austrian glassmaker Riedel and its Vinum line of machine-made full-crystal stemware, you can be forgiven for raising your eyebrows higher than prices of white Burgundy. The tongue is divided into four zones, each recognizing either sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, or acidity and that by matching the size and shape of the glass to specific wines, their sensory attributes can be enhanced? Fortunately, with the Riedel Vinum series Chardonnay glass, the company has put its Montrachet where its mouth is and come up with a design to please not only Chardophiles, but also fans of Chenin, Viognier, the Pinot brothers--Gris and Blanc--even noble rotters from Sauternes. A Pacific Northwest Chard tasted in both the Riedel and what was previously thought to be "the good crystal" revealed a balanced acidic brightness in the former and a sort of boozy flabbiness in the latter. With its medium-height bowl and tapered opening, the Vinum Chardonnay glass almost forces you to purse your lips, directing the wine to the mid-tongue's acid receptors and thereby balancing the wine's fruit and oak. --Tony Mason ...Read more