My purchase and use of wine stemware has paralleled my wine buying/collecting pretty closely. Starting out many years ago with cheap Pier 1 stems then Lenox. Then progressively upgrading to Spiegelau, to Riedel (which at the time I figured had to be the end of the road in quality and design), throw in a few Schott Zweisel, then what I thought was the absolute be all - end all apex - Zalto. Somehow bypassed the Gabriel-Glas and MarkThomas. But then came along the Sophienwald WS glasses and my heart was stolen again. How could I be any happier? What else could I ever want no less need? That’s when another sexy glass walked into my world. The Jancis Robinson x Richard Brendon Universal. Oh baby is this a beautiful glass! Intended to be the only glass you need. In fact, they only make the one glass along with a water glass and a young wine and an old wine decanter. The glass is a significant departure from the more angular Zalto and WS shapes. If you can believe it, the glass is even more delicate with the thinnest stem of them all. Will have to see how that plays out for durability but it is like air in the hand.
Being on a 4 week hiatus from consumption, I have not had the opportunity to put it through its paces but I really look forward to trying this new glass. Yes I have a glass problem.
(not sure why the pict got rotated.)
GGG - for now and forever. I’m slowing my wine buying roll and I also see no reason to continue chasing the latest and greatest glassware when I’m super happy with my GGG.
Cant argue with that. I have most of those glasses listed in the OP (except the Jancis) and I reach for my GGG’s 99.9% of the time. Just couldn’t be happier with it.
I have both Zalto Universals and GGGs and both are excellent. Wine tastes just about equally good out of both. I reach for GGGs more often because they are lighter and finer and the Zalto Universals seem clunky by comparison. I actually need to buy more GGGs.
I dont understand people’s fascination with the GGG. I’ve tried them with a bunch of wines side by side with half a dozen glasses and I don’t prefer the nose. I find the nose muted in comparison with larger bowl glasses, and so I lose alot. One Ganevat gamay blend really worked as it emphasized the minerality, but all the other reds just werent great in the glass. For whites and champagne the only ones I preferred in the GGG are riesling, and aromatic wines like gewurtz. Admittedly, I haven’t tried it with Nebbiolo or Syrah yet.
So funny, as I’ve literally found the exact opposite to be true. Plenty of side-by-sides between multiple ranges of Riedels and Zaltos, and I preferred the GGG almost every time, especially in regards to the nose. Add in the fact that they feel incredible in your hand and it’s a win/win.
Guess that’s why all of these glass companies are successful. Different strokes!
I own the Zalto Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses, and find them incredibly elegant tactilely and superb in concentrating and presenting the wine’s aroma. Hard to imagine anything could outperform them, but I might have to give GGG a shot.
Your problem is crystal clear. It stems from your base instinct to bowl everyone over. No amount of polishing will restore your spotless reputation until you shatter that obsession. You can do it, the glass is half full, but your head may swirl in the process.
My wife’s going to leave me when I buy more wine glasses. I use the Gabriel Gold and I guess until they are all broken I cannot buy stems for the described reason.
I think my refusal to obsess with stemware will forever ban me from the hardest core wine geek club. I have no desires unmet by schotts and basic riedel. :shrug:
