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>
>Rich R wrote:
>
>> 3. The quality is either in the bottle or not. The glass makes no >> difference.
>
>*sigh* Rich, I would suggest that you refrain from such categorical statements
>in a newsgroup like this. There are probably thousands of other wine
>enthusiasts out there whose experience runs entirely contrary to your own.
>Are they all shills for Georg Riedel? If so, the door marked "conspiracy
>theories" is on the left; if not, then perhaps we should allow that there just
>_might_ be some divergence of experience on this topic? I know from my own
>firsthand experience that I can notice a significant difference in bouquet when
>comparing the same wine from my INAO tasting glasses and a Riedel Bordeaux
>glass (or a Speigelau Burgundy glass for that matter). Moreover, I was at
>dinner (with Ian Hoare, his wife Jacquie and Lord St. Helier) at the Herzog
>winery in Canterbury, NZ when they poured their Pinot Noir into both Riedel
>Burgundy and Riedel Bordeaux glasses. The difference was quite noticeable for
>all of us, I believe. Having said that, I will also point out that these
>differences are not huge. In the scheme of things a wine's character is the
>same in either glass, but the nuances differ. Additionally, it is far from
>obvious to me that the formula of "a Bordeaux will always taste better from a
>Riedel Bordeaux glass than it will from a Riedel Burgundy glass" is an >absolute, either.
[SNIP direct reference to original topic - which was well stated]
A side-by-side tasting comparison between Riedel Vinum Montrachet glasses and their own Chardonnay glasses with a big Napa Chard and a moderately aged mid-range Montrachet were very revealing. The strange-to-me shape of their Montrachet made a world of difference. I bought 48 the next day! Glassware can make a world of difference. Exactly how much is totally subjective and is based on the perceptive abilities of the taster - plus bias formed during the tasting. I'd urge anyone to take four different glasses and try the same wine in a quiet setting. They might well be surprised.
Hunt