Grassl Glass reviews/evals [merged]

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#51 Post by **Peter Petersen** » January 13th, 2019, 7:04 pm

Tonight we tried an outstanding wine on three glasses 1855, GGG, and Spiegelau Bdx.
Not long ago I’d have been happy with Spiegelau. But now I have to admit I enjoy the lightness of these real hand made glasses. The GGG performed excellently actually, but again the 1855 did better on palate expression. Giving the wine the focus it needs with a more generous palate feel.
The wine was a 2011 MACDONALD. A wine that is simply stunning right now. Tangy blackcurrants, mint, cocoa, spices.
Served with slow cooked lamb ribs and grilled broccoli.

#52 Post by **jeffruggels** » January 13th, 2019, 9:43 pm

Nice peter. how long did you decant the MAC?

#53 Post by **Mark Y** » January 13th, 2019, 10:59 pm

Noting a small issue with the Cru.

The part where the stem connects with the base. It feel a bit rough. Like small bits stick out so it’s not a rounded smooth feel. It’s not sharp at all but there are a couple of small bumps.
Not sure if it’s a prototype/sample issue or its suppose to be this way? Chris?

Attached a photo not sure if it’s visible.

#54 Post by **Mark Y** » January 13th, 2019, 11:02 pm

Added an arrow to highlight what I mean

Corey N. · #55 Post by **Corey N.** » January 14th, 2019, 8:16 am

I did a side by side of the Cru and the 1855 with a couple of CA Pinots -- a 2009 RM Silver Eagle Vineyard and a 2015 Brooks Note Marin County PN.

The weight of the glasses is superb -- feeling lightly, but also balanced and stable with the wider base. Aesthetically, both glasses were beautiful -- the base didn't detract at all. The Cru did a better job focusing the nose (no surprise) and I thought showed more precision, while the wine from the 1855 was a bit broader on the palate. I preferred drinking out of the Cru because it did a better job with the aromatics. I tested vs. the Riedel (Veritas?) Cab and PN glasses and the Grassl was superior in literally every way. A bit OT, but the Reidel Cabernet glass is comically large. Yuck.

Thanks again Chris.

Brandon R · #56 Post by **Brandon R** » January 14th, 2019, 9:16 am

These look awesome. I'm loving these review and, as someone who didn't request a sample, I'm ready to buy!

#57 Post by **T. Altmayer** » January 14th, 2019, 9:25 am

Any one know the price on the 1855, I didn't see it on the website.

#58 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 14th, 2019, 10:01 am

Tom
I'm holding pricing until WB day...there will be a nice discount to retail for WB folks..But, I will tell you retail is exceptionally competitive with the standard competitors.

#59 Post by **Peter Petersen** » January 14th, 2019, 10:01 am

jeffruggels wrote: ↑
January 13th, 2019, 9:43 pm
Nice peter. how long did you decant the MAC?

Popped it 6 hours prior, drank an oz or so and just let it sit. Worked perfectly.

#60 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 14th, 2019, 10:04 am

Mark Ye - good point on the QC, I'll bring it to the factory's attention. The base is added after the stem is pulled. So, that's likely when the glass is added and then snipped off. But, QC is critical and I appreciate the head's up.

#61 Post by **Ron Slye** » January 14th, 2019, 1:46 pm

In response to Mark's post on the bumps near the stem, I checked by 1855 and there are none there (or my fingers are too clunky to detect them......)

#62 Post by **Mark Maddox** » January 14th, 2019, 1:57 pm

A pox on this thread for costing me WB money when I haven’t even tried the glass.

#63 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 14th, 2019, 4:53 pm

To further Mark's QC point above

1. We have tight tolerances on our weights.
2. We are a 'no bubble' glass even if the bubble is in the stem or the base
3. His 'knot' of glass would be a replacement by us

Mark...it won't cost you much to have a great glass. Check back on WB days....

#64 Post by **Robert.A.Jr.** » January 14th, 2019, 5:30 pm

Finished the Sociando out of the 1855 and Cru, time to try the Liberte and the Mineralite!

These are both elegant stems. Exceedingly light in the hand, again, quite elegant. Went with these stems for a 2009 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte, thinking that the new-style Copain with its higher acid may work better in these stems. I will try the 1855 and Cru again tomorrow with this wine.

The Mineralite is too tight for me. The mouth - and how do I say this correctly - is too small for my rather accentuated (though exceedingly handsome) facial features, in particular, the nose. The architecture of the glass with its narrow chute yields a very concentrated, focused nose, but the more diffused nose of the Liberte expressed the aromatics of the wine better. I suspect that the Mineralite may be better for champagne. My wife found the mouth too narrow as well. The Liberte is a pretty, tulip shaped bowl. I like this glass. I think it could be multi-purpose, whites and reds. The ergonomics work, from bowl to mouth, all in proportion. A winner.

#65 Post by **Robert.A.Jr.** » January 14th, 2019, 6:10 pm

PS. This Copain is fantastic! Lovin the stemmy perfume.

Marc Frontario · #66 Post by **Marc Frontario** » January 15th, 2019, 11:30 am

Robert.A.Jr. wrote: ↑
January 14th, 2019, 5:30 pm
Finished the Sociando out of the 1855 and Cru, time to try the Liberte and the Mineralite!

These are both elegant stems. Exceedingly light in the hand, again, quite elegant. Went with these stems for a 2009 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte, thinking that the new-style Copain with its higher acid may work better in these stems. I will try the 1855 and Cru again tomorrow with this wine.

The Mineralite is too tight for me. The mouth - and how do I say this correctly - is too small for my rather accentuated (though exceedingly handsome) facial features, in particular, the nose. The architecture of the glass with its narrow chute yields a very concentrated, focused nose, but the more diffused nose of the Liberte expressed the aromatics of the wine better. I suspect that the Mineralite may be better for champagne. My wife found the mouth too narrow as well. The Liberte is a pretty, tulip shaped bowl. I like this glass. I think it could be multi-purpose, whites and reds. The ergonomics work, from bowl to mouth, all in proportion. A winner.

I was told Alfert wins majority of his sprints...by a nose!
That cuban proboscis is a force to be reckoned with!

#67 Post by **c fu** » January 15th, 2019, 11:33 am

Marc Frontario wrote: ↑
January 15th, 2019, 11:30 am

Robert.A.Jr. wrote: ↑
January 14th, 2019, 5:30 pm
Finished the Sociando out of the 1855 and Cru, time to try the Liberte and the Mineralite!

These are both elegant stems. Exceedingly light in the hand, again, quite elegant. Went with these stems for a 2009 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte, thinking that the new-style Copain with its higher acid may work better in these stems. I will try the 1855 and Cru again tomorrow with this wine.

The Mineralite is too tight for me. The mouth - and how do I say this correctly - is too small for my rather accentuated (though exceedingly handsome) facial features, in particular, the nose. The architecture of the glass with its narrow chute yields a very concentrated, focused nose, but the more diffused nose of the Liberte expressed the aromatics of the wine better. I suspect that the Mineralite may be better for champagne. My wife found the mouth too narrow as well. The Liberte is a pretty, tulip shaped bowl. I like this glass. I think it could be multi-purpose, whites and reds. The ergonomics work, from bowl to mouth, all in proportion. A winner.
I was told Alfert wins majority of his sprints...by a nose!
That cuban proboscis is a force to be reckoned with!

wish we could have tried it out.

#68 Post by **Robert.A.Jr.** » January 15th, 2019, 11:38 am

Day late and a dollar short! They arrived Friday! Would have been fun, and you wouldn’t have been complaining like the rich LA swinger you are!

ericskitei · #69 Post by **ericskitei** » January 15th, 2019, 7:29 pm

Drinking a 2009 Leviathan from the 1855. Solid Glass Chris. Wide base, large bowl which allows for wonderful aromatics from the glass. The stem feels a great deal thicker than GGG and Zalto. I am usually a Universal or GGG user, so this is obviously a far different feel and size, but it's a very nice change. I'd like to try the Cru and do a true comparison to the Universal and GGG as it's almost an unfair comparison, but I really think its a job well done and appreciate the offer!

#70 Post by **alan weinberg** » January 15th, 2019, 7:39 pm

drinking 2014 Chablisienne Mont de Milieu Chablis out of Gabriel Gold, Grassl Mineralité, and Grassl Cru. The opening of Mineralité won’t accommodate my proboscis and makes it hard to drink out of. Nose not as intense. Cru is a super glass, wide bottom so the aromas really fire out of the increased surface area, feels more substantial a glass though light and well-balanced. GGG shows the wine to advantage also, similar size opening, a size I like in those latter two glasses. I like Cru a lot and will try reds out of it soon. Mineralité may be a good champagne glass, will try it. Tonight, though, Cru wins.

#71 Post by **Mich@el Ch@ng** » January 16th, 2019, 5:49 pm

From Grassl Cru. Will cross post to the Grassl thread.

First, the glassware. The Cru both helped the wine open up better (with about an hour of airtime in the glass) but also helped concentrate the nose. The hand feel is very nice and comfortable. I still think this feels heavier and more substantial than the Zalto, regardless of what the actual weight is.

The wine has a beautiful bouquet that has a bit of savigny bramble with some pure currants and blackberries. It is a bit on the rustic side and not the most elegant. It’s quite powerful with good intensity and length. I think a few years would probably help this one, though. At $40, nice deal.

#72 Post by **alan weinberg** » January 16th, 2019, 6:59 pm

drinking a 2014 Marsannay from Audoin. Cru vs Mineralité. Cru wins again. Much more expressive and open in Cru. No contest.

#73 Post by **John Webber** » January 16th, 2019, 7:34 pm

I was just getting ready to restock my GGG and machine GG, but will stand down for a bit and observe.

#74 Post by **Sherri S h a p i r o** » January 17th, 2019, 5:30 am

For those of you who have tested these glasses, how are you cleaning them? Do they fit and do well in the dishwasher? This is always my issue, as I have broken too many Zalto/GG stems hand washing, and my dishwasher top rack doesn't have space for the taller glasses (Zalto). I really love drinking out of the GG's and need to buy more on BD, so I am following this thread.

Dale Williams · #75 Post by **Dale Williams** » January 17th, 2019, 5:36 am

Enjoyed test driving the Liberte. Compared to Gabriel Gold, the '14 Pepiere Gorges was even more focused and mineral in the Liberte. I confess I couldn't really notice any difference with an '11 Drouhin Morgon.
I liked the way it feels, though aesthetically the wide base looks odd to me, but probably will get used to it. Nice glass.

Corey N. · #76 Post by **Corey N.** » January 17th, 2019, 6:57 am

Sherri S h a p i r o wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2019, 5:30 am
For those of you who have tested these glasses, how are you cleaning them? Do they fit and do well in the dishwasher? This is always my issue, as I have broken too many Zalto/GG stems hand washing, and my dishwasher top rack doesn't have space for the taller glasses (Zalto). I really love drinking out of the GG's and need to buy more on BD, so I am following this thread.

Cleaning in the dishwasher with no problems so far. Our dishwasher allows us to lower the top rack, which allows the stems to fit better. At “normal” height we had to insert the stems on a slight angle.

m. ristev · #77 Post by **m. ristev** » January 17th, 2019, 7:51 am

tried a 16 keller muscheligen kalk and 13 knoll smaragd riesling in the liberte vs gabriel gold. for my preference, there is no comparison to the light in hand feeling and elegance of the gabriel gold. the wines showed pretty similarly from both glasses, however the gabriel always smelled more floral for some reason. i would say if you want a zalto replacement, then hands down i would go with the liberte, but it is not quite as refined as the gabriel gold. of course depending on what the price point is, i am sure it represents a great value. also it seems to be clearly more sturdy than the gabriel so it really depends on your priorities.

#78 Post by **Peter Petersen** » January 17th, 2019, 8:50 am

Sherri, I hand wash my glasses and dry them with a micro fiber.

Tried the 1855 with a Zin, 2013 Carlisle Hayne. Loved how the wine showed in the glass.

Also tried a 2000 Malartic-Lagraviere, but this wine showed better from the smaller GGG. Somehow this wine drowned in the larger glass. Wine itself was only ok and developed a bitter edge after a being open for 2-3 hrs.

#79 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » January 17th, 2019, 4:44 pm

Tonight was my initial test drive of the mineralité. The test subject was the 2012 von Winning Kalkofen Grosses Gewachs. Right off the bat, the Grassl Glass made a fantastic impression with how it accentuated the aromatic of the wine. I had a separate pour in a Schott-Zweisel glass, and the aromatics were almost non-existent in comparison to the Grassl.

Then to the drinking, and my one quibble with the Grassl. The opening was too small, making me feel a little like Steve Martin in the movie ‘Roxanne.’ Once I figured out how to navigate that, the drinking was excellent, though not so dramatically superior to the S-Z glass. I did feel as though the Grassl was pushing the wine towards my mid-palate, de-emphasizing fruit. For those who love an accentuated acidity that could be a positive. I again adjusted my drinking angle to get some additional front palate fruit. Overall I think the issue could be adjusted by making the glass just a little larger. Keep the proportions the same though, as the aromatic impression is too fine to ignore.

I love smelling a good wine, potentially even more than I like drinking it, so despite my concerns regarding the size of the opening, I really like the glass.

#80 Post by **alan weinberg** » January 17th, 2019, 5:22 pm

Sherri S h a p i r o wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2019, 5:30 am
For those of you who have tested these glasses, how are you cleaning them? Do they fit and do well in the dishwasher? This is always my issue, as I have broken too many Zalto/GG stems hand washing, and my dishwasher top rack doesn't have space for the taller glasses (Zalto). I really love drinking out of the GG's and need to buy more on BD, so I am following this thread.

bowl is well-attached to stem so it won’t break there—unlike Riedel. As long as you are sober, hand wash is no problem. I hand washed first night, dishwasher second. No problem w/either.

#81 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 17th, 2019, 6:05 pm

Thanks David. Appreciate the review. The mouth is purposefully narrow. It was a debate. We chose to side with the winemakers. But the comment isn't lost on us and there was much debate.

#82 Post by **Mich@el Ch@ng** » January 17th, 2019, 8:35 pm

The cru worked great with the white burg I had tonight.

#83 Post by **brigcampbell** » January 17th, 2019, 9:02 pm

Mich@el Ch@ng wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2019, 8:35 pm
The cru worked great with the white burg I had tonight.

The crü is really a superb stem. I like that one.

The warden prefers the tulip shape of the... Help me here... As it feels better in her hand and it's sexy, no doubt.

YLee · #84 Post by **YLee** » January 18th, 2019, 7:50 am

Are these glasses created all in 1 piece or separate parts put together?

Corey N. · #85 Post by **Corey N.** » January 18th, 2019, 7:58 am

brigcampbell wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2019, 9:02 pm

Mich@el Ch@ng wrote: ↑
January 17th, 2019, 8:35 pm
The cru worked great with the white burg I had tonight.
The crü is really a superb stem. I like that one.

The warden prefers the tulip shape of the... Help me here... As it feels better in her hand and it's sexy, no doubt.

Tulip = Mineralite?

I love the shape

#86 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » January 18th, 2019, 7:59 am

The Mineralité is a pretty glass.

#87 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 18th, 2019, 9:58 am

Yong, mouth-blown stems are typically created by making the bowl and stem as one blow/draw and then the base is attached

go watch the video on our site - www.grasslglass.com

m. ristev · #88 Post by **m. ristev** » January 18th, 2019, 10:00 am

out of curiosity has anyone tried the riedel superleggero glasses? seems to be their entry to the lightweight mouthblown glass market and it would be interesting to see how they compare.

#89 Post by **Kirk.Grant** » January 18th, 2019, 10:03 am

This is pretty neat! Can I ask how folks got invited to try these glasses?

Dale Williams · #90 Post by **Dale Williams** » January 18th, 2019, 10:07 am

Kirk.Grant wrote: ↑
January 18th, 2019, 10:03 am
This is pretty neat! Can I ask how folks got invited to try these glasses?

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=157200

#91 Post by **T. Altmayer** » January 18th, 2019, 10:09 am

Depending on price, I'm definitely going to try the 1855, looks beautiful and I've had great experiences buying from Chris in the past.

YLee · #92 Post by **YLee** » January 18th, 2019, 11:11 am

Chris Freemott wrote: ↑
January 18th, 2019, 9:58 am
Yong, mouth-blown stems are typically created by making the bowl and stem as one blow/draw and then the base is attached

go watch the video on our site - www.grasslglass.com

Chris, is the GGG made the same way? I thought I saw a review on YouTube about GGG that it was 1 piece.

#93 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 18th, 2019, 3:45 pm

From the Gabriel site

Because both versions are produced using a single manufacturing process (bowl and stem!) their break resistance is extraordinary.

So, looks like they too attach the base after the blow and draw process, which makes sense to me.

#94 Post by **Angelo Manioudakis** » January 18th, 2019, 4:28 pm

Today, I decided to try the Grassl Glass Mineralité for the first time. While I imagine that most people would use this glass for a white wine, I was really in the mood for a red, so thought why not! Much like many of the previous reviews, I found that the main difference between these and my Riedels and Zaltos was the size of the opening. It's much smaller. Some other reviewers noted that the smaller opening interfered with "nosing the wine." I didn't find this to be true for me. However, I immediately noticed that the smaller opening intensified the nose, especially versus my other glasses. The same wine tasted in the Grassl came across as much more aromatic.

At that point, it occurred to me that the Mineralité would make an excellent glass for large tastings, where many glasses are required. Often, people use small glasses for large tastings of red wine, because you can fit more glasses in front of the tasters. But I have often found those glasses lacking for good reds. The Mineralité is a small glass that, primarily because of the better aromatics, would make an excellent tasting glass. It also has a deep-ish bowl, which would be another benefit for tasting reds. The one drawback is that the base of the glass is much larger than others. This would be an impediment to having many of these glasses in a small space.

The feel of the glass in the hand is very light and delicate, yet the glass seems quite sturdy.

Looking forward to trying it with some whites!

#95 Post by **Ron Slye** » January 18th, 2019, 7:43 pm

So tonight I tried a Syrah (2011 Agharta) with the 1855. Now the first point is that the 1855 is not meant to be used for Syrah -- as noted earlier I found it excellent with bordeaux blend wines. For the Syrah, the 1855 feel far short of the Riedel Syrah glass. The wine in the 1855 just seemed to get lost -- the nose was very flat, and of course then the taste was similarly less punchy and aromatic. In the Riedel, the nose was lovely, as was the taste.

I should also add that last night I had the 2016 Calera Mt. Harlan Chardonnay in the 1855, and it was lovely.

So the glass is still a winner in my book. What is humbling/annoying is that we need to have so many glasses for so many types of wines.

#96 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » January 19th, 2019, 7:11 am

It was only 20-25 years or so ago that we were just hearing about all the different Riedel glasses.

Lots of change since then.

#97 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » January 19th, 2019, 11:13 am

So is it the Cru glass for Nebbiolo?

#98 Post by **NickRut** » January 19th, 2019, 12:51 pm

Received my 1855 the other day and it is a nice glass in hand. Definitely different than the GGGs I’m used to drinking out of but not necessarily a bad thing. Haven’t drank out of it yet but will be comparing it vs a GGG tomorrow.

#99 Post by **Chris Freemott** » January 19th, 2019, 1:49 pm

David, the Cru is what I would drink it from.

#100 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » January 19th, 2019, 2:00 pm

Thanks. Good to check. 2009 Mascarello Monprivato is going for a test drive.