Wine Glasses

[Kcwhippet]

sed,

That's definitely not a gag gift. It's a very serious way to consume port. You received a very nice gift.

[winoweenie]

Good Gracious Tastie, are you implying I'm a wine snob? That's like saying Lennox Lewis is a sissy. Nothing is farther from the truth If you've read enough of my posts I think you'll see it's just the opposite. Just because I prefer to drink my older Clarets from a superior glass the enhances my appreciation of the juice has nothing to do with snobbery. The ole'bean is a term of endearment I learned from a close friend from England during WW11. I'll certainanly refrain from it's use in the future. WW

[sedhed]

That may be true, but it still freaks out my friends and I felt silly when I first used it.

[Drew]

I have a large assortment of different shaped wine glasses from Towle, purchased at Tuesday Morning for $3.95 per. All mimic the Reidels in size and shape, are lead crystal, have good weight and balance and if I feel like tossing one in the fireplace...so be it and I'm only out $3.95. I do have a few Reidel Sommelier Bordeaux, which rarely get used due to fragility. I also believe that the shape and size, matched to a particular wine, enhances the experience.

Drew

[Tastevin]

Used what, Sedhead?
T.

[sedhed]

uesd the port pipe tastevin.

[Tastevin]

Yes Drew, I am sure it enhances the experience, but it is in your mind only, not in fact. For example, serious wine tastings are done blind. Why is that do you think? It's so that the taster's opinion is not prejudiced/biased by the wine's provenence and/or price. Try an experiment, get your other half, or whoever, to disguise a Vinium glass in such a way that you cannot know which it is, do likewise with a very clean standard Riedel and pour an identical wine into each and then sniff and taste. If possible do this pairing say a dozen times with different wine and I maintain you will notice no difference in the taste of the paired wine. If you don't come to a conclusion, at the very least you will have had a great time! [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img] T.

[Drew]

Totally disagree and it's no more "in my mind" than your opposite opinion. I have experimented many times with different glasses blind and the wine always tastes better with the proper glass. Proper for me is larger bowls compared to smaller bowls and not necessarily rim shapes. The reason for this is it allows for a larger smell area. Optimal smell + taste = optimal tasting experience not to mention allowing the wine to open better. Understand that 98% of the wines that I drink are no older than 3 years.

Drew

[winoweenie]

Tastvin not to keep pummeloing a loose goose but I HAVE done several blind tastings with some fairly knowledgeable friends pouring the same wine in the Reidels and another glass and had over a 90% preference for the wine in the Reidels. Most of the tasters identified the wine in the other vessel as completely different than the One in the Reidel. I've also had the same thing pulled on myself and have 100% of the time picked the wine in the Reidel as a superior bottle of juice.WW

[marleyspud]

Winoweenie: You had mentioned that you had noticed a great difference in wines tasted from a Reidel and other wine glasses. I just purchased a few sets of Riedel and I too think that they really make the wine. Just wondering if you have any 'theories' on WHY this is??? MS

[Tastevin]

Good posts all. Just to show that one is never too old to learn, you've convinced me. I shall buy the Vinium range immediately, so look out for some bargain Riedel standards on EBay. T

[winoweenie]

As George explained at a tasting at Sportsmans fine wines last year there are 3 things that make the difference; 1) The thickness in the crystal bowl (and by-the-by the only difference in the Vinium series and the Sommelier series is the stem and about 50 bucks per clatter),2) the size and shape of the bowl (each bowl is designed to accentuate the particular varietal)and 3) the volume of aromatics each bowl dissapates. Now don't ask me to explain this enny futher girl as I'm just parroting what him done said. Jes' know them suckers work. WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[sedhed]

I feel sorry for all those poor bast@rds that had to drink all those great wines before Riedel came out.

[This message has been edited by sedhed (edited 02-29-2004).]

[This message has been edited by sedhed (edited 02-29-2004).]

[wineguruchgo]

If I am correct George Riedel is the only non-wine producing person to grace the cover of Wine Spectator.

Tastevin,

Yes, it is the combination of all. Low-lead crystal and the shape of the bowl. If am correct the true difference between Vinum and Sommelier lines is that the Sommelier is handmade and the Vinum is machine made, yet still with Low-lead glass.

I'm curious now. Gonna have to check.

Just checked. I'm correct. Sommelier series is mouth-blown and Vinum is machine made. Both low-lead (24%).

The only Sommelier glasses that I have are Champagne Flutes and I have yet to use them. I'm too afraid!!! I also don't have the bubbly worth putting in them to justify it!

[This message has been edited by wineguruchgo (edited 02-29-2004).]

[Tastevin]

Sedhead. I am ROFLMAO [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img] Wino, what's a clatter please (here it's another word for noisy)? T.

[winoweenie]

Tastvin that's my expression meaning " what a rip-off for ONE lousy glass, bottle, meal etc." Simply put "Each". WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]