I am new to the wine world as my honeymoon in South Africa piqued my interest. We recently just got a decanter from the registry, and think it’s time to upgrade my wife’s stemless glasses.
We almost exclusively drink Cabernet, merlot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, chenin blanc and Rose during summer. There’s still the occasional Zin or Pinot noir, and would like to try different styles so would like a versatile glass.
My search first led me to the Zalto universal but after reading up some on the forums, it seems I may be happier with the Zalto Bordeaux or GGG to drink the reds from, and the Universal for everything else really. I was debating buying a single of the ZU, Bordeaux and GGG.
Do you think these 2/3 glasses would cover my needs? If I were to just buy the universal or just the GGG, would that still cover my needs? The Bdx/GGG looks perfect for reds but like I said, we definitely like to drink white too! So would the bdx or GGG work for a sauv blanc Glass? That’s why the ZU is still in the picture as it seems a more proper glass for SB
Any input would be great. Also, feel free to sell me on the GGG. Seems like a combo of the ZU and the Zalto Bordeaux.
As a side note, these glasses will be for my wife and I to use exclusively and not for company.
GGG is my ONLY glass - been using it exclusively for 2 years now, and love it for every varietal. All my Riedels, Zaltos, and others are for ‘company’ at this point.
I think the Zalto Bdx works with more wines than the Zalto universal. If I were to buy one Zalto, the Bdx would be it. It has a wider bowl, which may even work for Pinot noir, though the walls do not taper as much. Some people find the GGG a bit too small for some reds but it’s a personal preference thing. Unfortunately, often you just have to try it yourself to see. So I’d recommend the Zalto Bdx + Zalto white. Or Zalto Bdx + GGG. You could definitely get away with just the Zalto Universal if you’d rather cut down the number of glasses, but I like it for whites more than reds.
For company, Schott Zwiesel Forte is quite reasonable, the red wine and the Pinot noir glasses.
The less time spent worrying about glasses the better in the end. My most memorable wine experiences are at my parents house over the holidays with $4 crate and barrel stems.
Don’t think it’s an issue. Certainly not for the GGG, which is smaller and more tapered. I’ve never had SB from the Zalto Bordeaux but serve whites all the time in my Zwiesel Forte red glass.
There is no universal glass that works perfectly for every kind of wine. So you just have to make tradeoffs / not overly focus on the glasswear. People seem really happy with GGG though, only knock is small size.
At first I was going to get the ZU. Then I decided the ZU and bdx. The GGG is intriguing so was going to add that to mix and get one of each but the GGG and bdx seem to be very similar. I guess the bdx would still be good for when I want a bigger glass or so my wife could use one while I use the other lol
People have preferences, but those don’t mean anything to you. And what is the worst that can happen if you put your Sauv Blanc into a glass you bought for Bordeaux reds? You’ll blow up? Vaporize? Turn into a pillar of salt?
Any glass will work. They hold the wine and help you get it into your mouth.
Seriously, find a nice glass you like and don’t sweat it all that much. I happen to like a glass by Schott-Zweisel, but don’t go out of my way to get it out of the cabinet. Since I have a lot of them, we end up using a Speigelau most of the time, but we have a few dozen shapes and sizes by different manufacturers that we’ve collected over the years and I’m happy with pretty much any one of them.
Highly recommend Schott Zweisel (either Tritan or Forte) Bordeaux glasses for a larger quantity purchase to have as the glass you use for company and for yourself as needed (if GGGs are dirty or you’re trying a bunch of wines side by side or whatever).
Great titanium crystal glasses, highly durable and machine washable, inexpensive.
Great gift for your friends and relatives you drink with — then there are good glasses when you come over and bring good wines!
I had a slew of Riedel vinum bdx, vinum syrah, and some Riedel oeverture bdx. Over time, many have been broken, leaving me with an odd setup. I do not like the vinum syrah, and would never recommend them. From anecdotal experience, i think they kill the nose and not pleasurable glasses. The vinum bdx is superior for most wines. I really like the much smaller oeverture bdx glass. Especially for tasting events. They are small, but shaped nicely with a slightly shorter stem. Since they are a bit smaller, they take up less space. They are sturdy and dishwasher safe.
But because I’ve got such a mixed bag, I figured I might as well try some others.
Chris Freemott, who is active on our boards and by all accounts a great guy, honest, and very reliable, runs this website:
I recently ordered (this week) a GGG and a Zalto Universal to try side by side. Given the rave reviews of those glasses, I’m going to give them a try up against my Riedels and see what’s what.
I’ll be happy to let you know how it goes, but I’d advise doing the same and weighing the cost benefit analysis. My dad, who is a big wine nut as well, bought a bunch of nicely shaped glasses from Crate and Barrel that do the trick nicely. They are also dishwasher safe and much, much cheaper.
Because if you are going to get two Zalto glasses anyway, might as well get two that don’t overlap in intended purpose. I started with the ZU, found that I wasn’t using it as much as my Zwiesels, then added other Zaltos later (which is how I concluded that the Zalto Bdx was my favorite). If I was starting from scratch, I probably wouldn’t bother with the ZU unless it was my only glass. The ZU is more versatile though, agree with you there.
Totally agree about not overthinking it though. There is only so much you can tell by listening to other people’s opinions. Personal preference, budget, cabinet space, etc…Some people might think the Zalto Bdx is too big for them and GGG is better. Wine stores in my area are starting to carry Zalto, so might be worth trying to hold them in person.
Mostly echoing others, but the GGG is also my primary glass for everything. I have some Schott Zwiesel Fortes that I use for company or if I’m just not in the mood to get the GGGs out (my wife doesn’t like the GGG — she says it feels too delicate, so she pretty much uses the SZ all the time). I also have a bunch of Riedel Vinums that I have collected over the years, but I don’t use them much any more.
By the way, the GGG are champs in the dishwasher and quite sturdy, even though they’ll feel to you like they might break if you breathe on them too hard.
I also highly recommend Chris Freemott as the best guy to buy the GGG from.
Ya, I’ve decided on either the SZ forte’s or the Crate & Barrel smaller hip glasses once we decide to get 4-6 for company, or maybe even the machine GG if I can convince the wife.
As of now, I’ll probably grab the ZU, the Zalto bdx, and the GGG. I’d rather spend the extra $50 and have an extra fancy glass to use than lose any more sleep over this hahah
If you are new to wine I would be spending my money on wine, not expensive glass ware. I would go to Costco and check what they have in a red wine glass. the last ones I bought there were about $30 for 8 and they are nice glasses.
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