Glassware

[mklynch]

We recently bought the Tritans mentioned earlier. Wine Enthusiast has them. They claim they are 4x stronger than lead crystal, being made with titanium. Also dishwasher safe. Been thru ours a dozen times with no problem. They are huge, even the chardonay glasses with a stem you can wrap your whole hand around. Not for the weak of heart!

[jbonne]

just to confuse things ...

i remain very happy with Cost Plus' Conoisseur series, for about $6/glass. they're the right balance between thin and durable (even dishwasher durable, when needed) and i feel guiltless about handing them out to friends. only problem being geography -- closest appear to be OH and VA.

though now i'm determined to hunt down a West Coast supplier for the Riedel restaurant series.

[chef koo]

what's a good brand of glass. i live in canada so keep that in mind. so far the most popular brands seem to be spigeleau and riedel. i prefer crystal as opposed to glass

Edited March 22, 2005 by chef koo (log)

[winesonoma]

Try here, best prices, Don't know if they ship to Canada. http://www.winestuff.com/

[Coop]

Go to the Gourmet Warehouse for good prices on Reidel. The Cook's Shop on Broadway and Granville has Spiegalau.

[jayt90]

Costco has a large glass made in Austria, at 8/$30. Good all purpose until I get more Riedels.

[jsolomon]

At my place of employment, we're pretty fond of Bellco glass. Available in handy 2 litre models!

Oh, you're not talking about laboratory glassware. I'm an idiot.

[PDXWineauxs]

You don't have to get the handmade Reidels.  There are also machine made glasses that are much cheaper, but still have all the benefits:  large bowl, no bead of glass on the lip, proper shape to accentuate the particular wine or variety of grape.  The machine one are just not 24% lead crytsal and are not made by hand.

However, I have found that they break just as easily. 

If you are serious about wine, then I think it only makes sense to use proper stemware.

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Actually, there are several different levels with Riedel. The Sommeliers are handblown, lead crystal. I have a few pieces. They are definately beautiful and definately not for your clumsy guests.

The Vinum line is machine-made, yet contains 24% lead.

The Ouverture line as well as the stemless "O"'s are made from potash and do not contain lead.

Potash can take the heat of a dishwasher, where lead crystal doesn't appreciate the heat at all.

I actually love the "O"'s. I use them alot as they are easy to clean. Some people do not like the fact that there is not a stem, they are afraid that the wine will heat up by being held. It will, but only slightly, unless you are at an event where you cannot put the glass down and hold it for an extended period of time.

Not sure if this has been discussed (I'm new to the forum)....Riedel bought Speiglau recently. They will continue to be run as two separate companies.

Have any of you attended a Riedel "Glass Tasting"? They are fun and showcase why there are different shapes for different varietals.

[PDXWineauxs]

As a novice wine drinker I do not have extensive experience for reference but proper shape and most importantly no bead at the lip do make a difference for me.  The rest of the aesthetic experience is more psychologocal but does seem to impact the taste.

I have the Reidels and I do put them in the dishwasher.  I'm wondering if the taste of the wine is changed by doing so.  I think there is a residue left after dishwashing detergent is used.

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Soap can be an enemy in a wine glass. Especially if the glass contains lead. Lead crytal actually has small, microscopic ridges and valley that lend to the performance of the glass. Soap can get into the ridges and valleys and slightly impair their performance.

Also, many people still store glassware stem up in cupboard or in cabinets. The smell from the wood (as well as shelf liner) will transfer to the glass.

When I wash my glasses, I use a soft glass washing sponge on the outside of the glass with a little dish soap on the outside. Then I air dry them on a "mat" that I bought from Wine Enthusiast several years ago.

I am guilty of washing my "O"s in the dishwasher, so they do get a soap treatment, although they do not contain lead.

[PDXWineauxs]

Spiegelau is fine; they last much longer than Riedel, but  they still have a nice look and feel.

I think that all depends upon the handling of the glasses. I have used Riedel, exclusively, for almost 10 years. In that time, I have only broken 5 glasses (now watch, I will have jinxed myself ).

[PDXWineauxs]

I use Reidel so I don't have a suggestion but I just wanted to say how sorry I am that that happened to you! I kindof feel quesey thinking if all my Reidel came tumbling out! Oh man!!!     

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Yikes! The thought of loosing a shelf of glassware is horrifying! I remember a guy on a wine forum, about 5 or six years ago, had a china hutch built into his new dining room. It had glass shelves behind glass doors for his stemware.

He was in the family room and heard what he called "the most lovely tinkling sound" as the shelf collapsed and broke every glass he owned.

It makes one's head spin to think of it

[SiseFromm]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I just discovered it and want to throw my hat in the ring for somebody that is completely addicted to stemware. It started with a nice set of Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glasses we received as a gift. They were beautiful, and still are. I still love and cherish them any time I break out a nice Bordeaux, Merlot, or California Cabernet. Even though the glasses were great for drinking those plus other reds, I always felt a little odd with whites. The bowl was just too big. We decided to splurge on a set of Chardonnay glasses, a purchase I had to convince my wife was a good one.

Then we went to a Burgundy tasting and all of the wines were poured into proper Burgundy glass. We were told by the wine merchant about the nature of diffusion of smell vs. the concentration of smell and the difference in the bowls of a Burgundy vs. a Bordeaux glass. Of course . . . that led to a set of Burgundy glasses.

Then we discovered Ports. What other glass can you serve Port out of than a Port Glass? After 3 sets of beautiful stemware, our crappy Champagne glasses were just out of place. Our New Year's Eve celebration seemed like a good enough time as any to buy a set of those too add to the fleet. Ugh, now we even have Riedel martini glasses, but finally I think we have everything we need. Like our wine collection in general, it's an obsessive habit that I just love!

The addiction continues.

[ledervin]

After too much deliverance and advice from the above threads I've decided to purchase the reiedel chainti and a set of Spieglau's. question is which Spieglau's are good all around red wine drinking glasses in that match the riedel chiantis.

I'm buying both to do the comparison. Will feedback results to the forum!!!!

just had a first child 2 days ago and wife is asking me to take care of newborn....got to go!

[KatieLoeb]

After too much deliverance and advice from the above threads I've decided to purchase the reiedel chainti and a set of Spieglau's.  question is which Spieglau's are good all around red wine drinking glasses in that match the riedel chiantis. 

I'm buying both to do the comparison.  Will feedback results to the forum!!!!

just had a first child 2 days ago and wife is asking me to take care of newborn....got to go!

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ledervin:

Find a nice ballon shaped (usually called "pinot Noir" glasses in some lines) or a nice teardrop shaped large bowl glass for the reds. That ought to do you fine.

Congratulations on the new addition!

[Andre]

After too much deliverance and advice from the above threads I've decided to purchase the reiedel chainti and a set of Spieglau's.  question is which Spieglau's are good all around red wine drinking glasses in that match the riedel chiantis. 

I'm buying both to do the comparison.  Will feedback results to the forum!!!!

just had a first child 2 days ago and wife is asking me to take care of newborn....got to go!

←

Congratulaions indeed.

Try the Vino Grande 01 by Spigeleau or the cheaper Festival Magnum

Riedel Chianti glass is my favorite choice.

[waves2ya]

Greetings wine glassware eGulleteers...

In December of '05 I ordered Spiegelau Authentis Collection Red Wine Glasses, Set of 6, from Amazon. Each and everyone have broken as of this date - I treated the glassware lightly, never used the dishwasher, etc. but... there you have it.

Anyhow - I adore the the shape. Do guru's know of a heartier glass similarly designed?

Or must I pony up for a new round of Spiegelau...?

Thank you in advance for ideas.

[jsmeeker]

anyone know anything about the Riedel Vivant collection? It appears to be exclusive to Target stores. It doesn't show up on the Riedel website, but you can view them at the Target on-line store site. (I actually first saw them in a Super Target here in Dallas)

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=b...asin=B000BCF0IO

[e.Winemonger]

We use the Zalto Denk'Art line, which we brought over from Austria. It's designed by a wine priest (no really!)