Wine News: When wine-glass shape matters

"We took our own wine to the restaurant. "I'll just bring you the pinot glasses," said the waitress, removing the existing stems.

I was impressed. At the risk of straying into wine-snob territory, there is nothing worse than pouring a fine wine into a squat, thick-stemmed, dishwasher-mottled excuse for a glass.

Anybody who still says the nature or quality of the receptacle is a load of nonsense, try drinking it out of a polystyrene cup – all very well for chateau cardboard when the primary aim is to get intoxicated, but not the best way to appreciate the subtleties of a good bottle.

That's taking the point to extremes. The primary differences between wine glasses are size and shape rather than material, though the best glasses are made from thin, clear lead crystal, rather than glass.

Riedel is an Austrian glassmaker that has pioneered a range of shapes and sizes to suit the characteristics of individual wine types. If eyebrows don't rise at the "science", they certainly will at the cost. But for that special wine on that special occasion, there is something to be said for that special glass.

The Riedel pinot noir glass is tall, broad in the beam with a well-rounded bowl. A normal measure of wine scarcely makes a dent in its capacity, allowing a large surface area of the wine to come into contact with the air."

Full article here.

August 21, 2006

Wine News: When wine-glass shape matters