Wine Glasses

"The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make. (Robert M Parker Jr. The Wine Advocate)"

Sit back, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax…and now take a look at the glass you’re drinking from. Did you know that the glass you choose can completely change the flavour of your wine? Or that particular varieties need different shapes and sizes to express themselves fully? If you think that sounds like a bit of expensive marketing nonsense, then you’re not alone. An hour at a Riedel Masterclass however, could well change your mind. (At least about the nonsense part – Riedel glasses are as breathtakingly expensive as they are legendary. And the masterclasses are an ingenious way of selling wine glasses.)

Riedel is an Austrian company that has been creating fine glassware for nearly 300 years. In the 1950s, Claus J Reidel discovered that the shape of the glass changed the shape and flavour of the wine – and the famous Riedel legend was born. According to Riedel, the glasses are designed to emphasise a wine’s harmony, not faults, and it is essential to have a glass which has a shape fine-tuned for the purpose. It is the shape, apparently, that is responsible for the quality and intensity of the bouquet and the flow of the wine.

That’s the theory. And the reality? Impressive, actually. A Riedel Masterclass is indeed an eye-opening (and palate-awakening) experience. Four glorious fine-boned varietal-specific (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon) hand-blown crystal glasses are pitched against a small, lone International Standards Organisation (ISO) glass. The ISO determined in the 1970s what was the perfect dimension to suitably taste wine, and many wine professionals all over the world still use it today.

Each wine is shown off first in the designated Riedel, then in the ISO. The difference is astonishing. The Sauvignon Blanc in the Riedel is exotically, enticingly fresh, with a shimmering seam of passionfruit and lemon. In the ISO it’s plain, green and acidic. The Chardonnay is full, warm and welcoming in the Riedel. In the ISO it’s…actually it’s not too bad at all. Maybe a little cooler with the welcome, a little less abundant with the fruit. But pretty good all the same. We all look enquiringly at the instructor who suggests we pour it into the Sauvignon Blanc glass. We’re amazed. The oak has disappeared, the fruit is mean and unwelcoming, the finish bitter and dry.