Last night we went to a Reidel tasting. We got to keep the 4 different glasses we used. The wines were not spectacular, but the wine was not why we were there. There were 4 different Riedel glasses and an ordinary glass. We tasted the same wine out of the Riedel glass and then poured it into the regular glass. The difference was dramatic. Then we poured a wine that tasted pretty good in 1 Reidel glass and poured it into a different Riedel glass and the taste was entirely different. I knew glassware made a difference, but this was amazing. I thought the difference was between "good" glasses and "ordinary" glasses. The difference between "good" glasses was profound.
I harbored similar thoughts and notions, until I did one of these, just when they introduced their Montrachet glasses. After the tasting, I immediately acquired 24 of the hummers for those bigger wht Burgs and monster US Chards that my wife so loves. It does now give me about 96 "white wine" glasses - and I generally prefer reds, but I had to have Montrachets. All of the closets in the guest rooms are filled with extra wine glasses. I hope that no guests bring too many clothes with them!
The Riedel demonstrations are pure sales. There is no blind tasting. The rep is talking up the product the whole time, even telling the participants what they should be tasting next. There is no comparison to other quality glassware -- only to the joker glass (as they call it) and among the four shapes of Riedels they provide. At least that was my experience a year or so ago. Riedel gasses are pretty to hold and to look at, for sure. There may be some difference in taste between the Bordeaux-style shape and the wider, shallower Burgundy style. But all the variations within each general profile are a bit silly and precious, in my opinion.
Leo Bueno wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
No
Yes
The wine was not the main reason for the tasting. The fact that the same wine tasted very different in different glasses was not avoidable. While I have no intention of having a different glass for each wine I will make sure that I have the right glass for the main varieties I drink. Spending a lot on wine you drink in the wrong glasses is a mistake. I never thought that glassware could have such an impact on what I was drinking.
I am sure few would deny that, but it is hardly a reason for buying Riedel glasses.
You need to assess whether they are better than others (not just te joker glasss) and whether they are worth the money. Just coming from a Riedel sales pitch is not the best time to decide.
Try other good glasses in your own time. Maybe buy a few cheaper glasses that also have large bowls and thin rims and see what you think.
Steve Slatcher wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
My girlfriend and I each got 4 free glasses at the tasting. We don't need to buy any more at the moment. We don't have room for any more. We just reorganized the crystal cabinet. It is not like we went to the Riedel sales pitch and bought a bunch of each glass they make. I have had Riedel glasses for my Bordeaux for years. If you drink a lot of Chardonnays the Riedel Chardonnay glasses may be worth the investment. I don't so the 2 I got at the tasting will do me nicely for a while. If I was inviting a few friends over for a dinner where a white should be served, I may put a few more Riedel Chardonnay glasses on the shopping list. Differences in glassware do make more of a difference in wine than I thought. I think the tasting/sales pitch was more than worth the price ($68). I am very familiar with the sales process. I did not feel "pitched" that night. There is a big difference between pitching a product and educating a customer why your product is worthwhile. I would like to compare other "good" glasses with Riedels. My current needs have been met or are not that great. If I was looking at stocking a restaurant or buying a lot of glasware because I was just starting out that would be different.
I can only talk about my most recent Riedel tasting (now two years ago). In this one (we had attended several others at different venues, usually at either the WS Annual event, or Epcot, or New Orleans Wine & Food), the Riedel rep only set up the room, then poured the wines. In our case, the wines were all mid-range, and quite enjoyable. As I already owned several styles of Riedels, plus other "good" glasses from other mfgrs, I was already of the mind that good glasses can definitely make, or break a wine. I'd formed that opinion years earlier. The rep did not "lead" the group in any way, and other than her presence to answer questions, might well have left after pouring.
What struck me was the way that Shafer Red Shoulders Ranch Chard opened up in the Riedel Montrachet glasses. I did A-B-C tastings with the SB glass, the Bdx glass, and the Montrachet glass. For bigger whites, I had usually used a Bdx stem, or similar, and still do for Viogniers. The wine was so much better in the Mont. glass, that I immediately acquired some, though I had many other white wine glasses, that were at, or above the price point of the Mont.
I never bothered with the "joker" glass, as I had long ago done that, and had run variations of it in wine "parlor games," for friends.
Obviously, this road show is an attempt to sell Riedels. If one cannot tell the difference, then it would be money wasted. The, obviously again, are selling Riedels, but much of the experiment translates to many other quality mfgrs - IMO.
Could someone please explain -- simply -- what difference the glass can make? I understand the shape, and how that effects the nose. But the rim? The thickness?
It is difficult to separate the effects on the nose and taste. Improve the nose and many will think the wine tastes better.
No difference apart from being nicer to hold and drink from. Worth paying a bit extra for IMO.
So, yes, it is basically the shape affecting the nose that is the issue.
Riedel will also have you believe that the glass shape and rim directs the wine to different parts of the tounge. Something I find very difficult to accept.
A purely personal note, and not based on any science that I can think of:
I find that the feel of thick (glass, crystal, ceramics, et al) just is not pleasant to me. Even a rather thin-walled glass, but with a large bead is not to my liking. My first choice is thin crystal with a sanded edge, but a thin bead will do.
The rim can help direct the wine to "correct" part of the palate. I.e. - if you have a typical glass (rolled rim), the wine will flood the mouth, as opposed to a smooth rim which can *help* direct the wine to the part of the tongue which best discerns sweet, bitter, salt, etc.
Can't help you with the thickness part of the question....
All told, it really is a matter of how you best appreciate the wine. I've sold Riedel and Spigelau for a number of years, and know that there are a couple of other knock-off producers, but long ago realized that each one of us tastes differently and no matter how much I love Riedel, you may not. Try different glasses, and judge for yourself. After all, wine is meant to be enjoyed and to heck with what anyone else (who is probably a snob anyway) thinks :-)
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