Category: Wine Glasses

Is there such a thing as a perfect wine glass? Can the right glass make a wine taste better? Can a mediocre wine be improved by a wine glass?

Surprisingly, the answer to these questions is “yes“. We’ve tried a variety of wine glasses, and we’ve found a couple that are demonstrably different than the rest. You almost certainly won’t find these glasses in your local supermarket, housewares store, or discounter. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll find them in your local high-end wine shop… if you are lucky enough to actually have a high-end wine shop in your area. Once you’ve tried them, though, you’ll be tempted to carry them with you to restaurants, wine tastings, and even dinner parties.

So, what’s with these glasses? Let’s talk about the top of the line glass… one that will change your appreciation of wines. It’s the
Riedel Sommelier Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glass
This is the ultimate wine glass – its 30 oz. bowl concentrates the wine’s aroma while providing extra surface area to oxygenate the wine. Try this glass a few times, and you’ll be absolutely convinced that a glass can improve a wine.

The “wine improvement” statement isn’t fantasy. There are a few real-life mechanisms at work. First, there’s aroma concentration. A typical 6 oz. wine glass has no room left over after you pour a reasonable portion of wine. Even if you pour only an ounce or two, what’s left? Four or five ounces of volume to collect the wine’s aroma. That’s fine if you are dealing with a highly aromatic wine, but many wines, particularly inexpensive ones, often don’t have a nose that’s sufficiently concentrated to let you detect their subtle nuances. The Riedel Sommelier Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glass, by comparision can collect 25 oz. or more of concentrated aroma – enough to take a deep breath filled with the molecules vaporizing from the wine surface. Detecting aroma is all about volume – a bigger breath of the wine’s nose will let you find those subtle vanilla, chocolate, and saddle leather notes the wine critics rave about.

The next element of wine improvement is oxygenation. While a day or two of two much air may ruin a wine’s flavor, many wines, particularly reds, benefit from a bit of breathing after they are opened. A typical small wine glass provides some surface area for oxygen to reach the wine, but the Riedel Sommelier Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glass, due to its width and volume, provides at least TWICE the area of most 6 or 8 oz. wine glasses. (Remember geometry? The area of a circle – in the case of a wine glass, that’s the area exposed to air – is proportional to the square of the radius. In simple terms, a small increase in the diameter of the glass makes for a big increase in the breathing area.)

The last thing we can say about this glass has nothing to do with the wine you’ll pour into it. Instead, we want to tell you about the glass itself. Quite simply, it’s a work of art. The glass is big… huge… but it’s eggshell thin. If you tap the glass with your fingernail, it will ring like a bell. Despite it’s impressive size, it’s surprisingly light and easy to drink from. I can say with confidence that if you haven’t actually used one of these glasses, you haven’t experienced a wine glass like it before.

Once you get used to this Riedel Sommelier Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glass, you’ll want to carry it with you. (We’ve actually toyed with the idea of creating a custom carrying case to allow us to carry it to restaurants. Sure, it might look a bit pretentious – kind of like a pool hustler revealing his personal ivory-inlaid cue – but what a great way to evaluate, and perhaps even enhance, anything from the ubiquitous Yellow Tail Shiraz to the obscure, low volume house Bordeaux. Would people at neighboring tables stare? Sure… but even the most supercilious sommelier might be intimidated when you brandish the ultimate tasting glass.)

While this glass is nominally for red wines, don’t be fooled… it’s great for white wines, too. The same aroma concentration effects will let you sniff out those delicate citrus, apple, and mint scents in your favorite whites.

If you are serious about wine drinking, or even if you want to make the most out of your $5 – $10 wines, consider investing in this glass. Think about it… if you can turn a $6 wine into a $20 experience, this glass will pay for itself in a month or two. And, the glass will last for hundreds of bottles of wine.

Click for more information and FREE SHIPPING from Wine Enthusiast on the
Riedel Sommelier Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glass

We’re introducing a new feature here at Box Wines – reviews of wine glasses and other products we’re lucky enough to sample. Check out our first review, the Riedel Stemless Tasting Glass.

Watch for more reviews in the future.