Why Doesn't Riedel Have A Dedicated Glass For Nebbiolo?

[David_Glasser]

I was one of those posting sarcastically, targeting the wild proliferation of glasses and Riedel’s pseudoscientific marketing, but I’m a firm believer that glass shape does make a difference. My post was just funnin’.

[GregT]

That’s the problem with sarcasticalness. People don’t know if it’s funnin or not.

Of course if you just assume it’s all funnin, the sarcastibility of the response doesn’t really matter. And with glass shapea, it’s hard not to be funnin a little bit.

[Scott_Brunson]

Use the sarcasm/funnin font.

Michael, this is a great thread;

kkaOz48cq2g

[Karl_K]

Even if they were a specific glass, doesn’t mean it would be right.

See: champagne flutes.

[Craig_G]

@GregT

That’s the problem with sarcasticalness. People don’t know if it’s funnin or not.

This is a feature, not a bug.

[Ian_Dorin]

@Karl K

Even if they were a specific glass, doesn’t mean it would be right.

See: champagne flutes.

+1.

FWIW, I had not bothered to go back through this thread (I read through the first 19 when it started), but I really, really, REALLY have to think that people are SIGNIFICANTLY getting too crazy with glassware. I have continuously found in general that a Pinot glass is great for a whole bunch of things, including Nebbiolo. Frankly, the ONLY time I will ever getting really bent out of shape is if we were drinking something truly special like 62 La Tache or 61 Monfortino and feel the need to use an excessively expensive glass. I have to have my reservations about the quality of wine being consumed vs. so much of what the OP is about.

FWIW, my single greatest experience with Nebbiolo was out of a Zalto Burgundy glass (the $65 one).

[Kelly_Flynn]

For domestic consumption I drink EVERYTHING, from champagne to port, out of a huge (35 oz volume) Riedel burgundy grand cru glass that I received as a wedding gift 11 years ago.

As a practical matter, like the greatest wines, it is almost weightless; and it allows unlimited worry-free swirling; but more importantly it just looks cool.

With dinner guests, who always get them, sometimes they just stare at that giant glass in front of them and wonder what to do.

[Markus_S]

@Wes Barton

If you really wanted ideal glasses for all the Nebs in your collection, you have to have dozens of different glasses. You wouldn’t be sure which glass was the best fit until you opened a specific wine and did some comparing. Then, as the wine opened, you’d probably have to reassess and switch glasses a few times.

but then you could say the same thing about a separate glass for each and every Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, white Rhone, etcetera…it becomes a point in ridiculousness.
I’ve never understood the Burgundy glass-nebbiolo connection as I think it can show fine from many types of glasses. You have to love the one you’re with.

[John_Morris]

@Markus S

@Wes Barton

If you really wanted ideal glasses for all the Nebs in your collection, you have to have dozens of different glasses. You wouldn’t be sure which glass was the best fit until you opened a specific wine and did some comparing. Then, as the wine opened, you’d probably have to reassess and switch glasses a few times.

but then you could say the same thing about a separate glass for each and every Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, white Rhone, etcetera….it becomes a point in ridiculousness.

Not ridiculous if you’re Georg Riedel. And he does look rather smug, doesn’t he?

[dougwilder]

That is a tough question. It may come down to a niche market. From a professional perspective, I recently tasted over 400 wines 10 days in Paso Robles and Santa Barbara covering close to 30 different varieties (there was a single Nebbiolo). I used a single glass shape for everything - Zalto Bordeaux. Shape isn’t that important when you are going up and down a varietal spectrum, repeatedly throughout the day. What is important is consistency and minimizing variables.

[Anton_D]

Getting back to the OP, the Nebbiolo glasses are the same as their Barolo stemware.

[Drew_Goin]

@Michael S. Monie

Anyone know ? Thanks.

Alternative questions which, in my mind, reveal a lot about the company’s true purpose are:

“Why DOES Riedel have a dedicated glass for WATER?”

…and…

“Why DOES Riedel have a dedicated glass for COKE (SODA or POP to Northerners)?”


Water shouldn’t taste like anything. I certainly don’t want to amplify any funky “Louisiana brown” aromatics in a bowl that traps my nose in the glass with the stuff.

Carbonated beverages (caffeinated or otherwise), don’t warrant a specialized “stem” either, but these questions do provide insight into what is really going on when a glass manufacturer decides to go for the high-end of the market.

The answer is…drumroll, please…MONEY!

Should a white tablecloth X-Michelin-starred restaurant wish to create a certain atmosphere for patrons, going to 11 on every detail is essential. Thank goodness that stemware manufacturers have anticipated this!

Teetotalers and sugar-junkies shouldn’t feel awkward sipping from straws while their fellow diners share a bottle of Henri Jayer 1983 Echezeaux Grand Cru.

As for the OP…sorry, I dunno.

[David_Glasser]

Drew, of course it’s all about money and marketing from the perspective of the manufacturers and high-end restaurants. Glasses do make a difference, but we don’t need 87 different-shaped stems. I could make do fine with 3, though I’ll confess to having accumulated over twice that.

Your comment about water reminded me of this:

7QDMaTGsOBo