Clearly Riedel for me.
Zalto for just us and for smaller groups (we don’t have that many). Riedel for larger groups.
I generally use a generic wine glass that I get from Bed Bath & Beyond for $10 for 12 of them. They’re a nice general size and good for white wine and medium reds. I have larger bowl stems of unknown manufacture for deep reds (Bordeaux, Burgundy).
Schott Zweisel - especially with many guests. Riedels if I take the time to bring them out.
My first glasses were riedel vinums. Then I got some nachtmann xxl which are very close to riedel somms for 10 dollar a glass. Then I realized it was silly to spend so much money on wine and so little on glasses so I bought a few riedel somms. Then used a Zalto…Immediately went and bought Bordeaux, burg, champagne (for sweets) and universals. Have not used a different glass if i could help it since. Now I have a bunch of Riedels and Nachtman for non wino guests. Wino guests get Zalto too.
It’s been several years since we moved on from Riedel to Schott Zwiesel. We still have a few Riedels kicking around. We find the Schotts to be elegant, more durable, and a little less expensive.
The poll has shaken out exactly as I expected for the top 3. Riedel has some serious competition on the high- and low-end but still has a huge user base.
I got Zaltos a year ago. Since I’ve owned them I drink from nothing else while at my home. They are so much better than any other glass I’ve used.
Zalto. Period.
Yup. And Riedel has so many different lines, at incredibly variable price-points, that they’ve got their foot in the door at most pricing tiers, which leads to greater market penetration.
I checked Reidel because that is what we have the most of but we use Zalto’s mostly. I will be buying Zalto universals shortly but due to the need to have less expensive glasses for parties, Reidels and the like will win out on quantity.
I checked Zalto. And they are my favorite. But as more years go by I think the whole perfect glass thing is kind of overdone (not fully). For Burgundy I still like a Zalto or Reidel. But for my beloved Rieslings I think I would enjoy them in an 8oz. Libby’s restaurant supply glass.
Instead of glasses, why don’t we find out who makes the bottles the wine is stored in (the makers, places of production, type of bottle, grams of glass used in manufacture, pounds per square inch the bottle can withstand…). Inquiring minds want to know!