Riedel O Cabernet/Merlot Wine Tumblers, Set of 2
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List Price: Our Price: $23.60 You Save: $5.90 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $15.81 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Riedel O Cabernet/Merlot Wine Tumblers, Set of 2
Customer Review: Stemlessness has its virtues
Summary: 5 Stars
A stemless wineglass is more stable and these are a real pleasure if you're eating outdoors. There's a price to pay, though. Since your hand is on the glass bowl, it gets fingerprints on it quickly and there's something unappetizing about a glass that has your prints on it. On balance (so to speak) these are great wine glasses and at ten bucks a piece, they're a bargain.
A great deal of your experience of wine comes from the aromas that develop in the air above the surface of the wine. A glass that forces the wine to have a large surface area for its volume and then narrows to concentrate the vapors will increase the flavor experience. Glasses with a thin lip seem to interfere less with the taste of wine than thicker (and cheaper) glasses. The shape of the glass makes a difference, too. Since we can only smell molecules that are in the air, the best wine-tasting glass is going to promote evaporation by exposing the largest possible surface area to the air. These glasses are wide at the waist and narrow at the top to get more from their wine. Does it make a difference? You bet-and in every taste test that I've been part of, Riedel glasses win hands down.
(For more information on the factors that effect the taste of wine-Storage, Air, Temperature, Food and Context, see New Short Course in Wine,The)
The wine simply tastes better in these glasses.
It shouldn't be necessary to mention that a wine glass should be clean and odorless. But sometimes restaurants, in their zeal to make their glassware clean use rinsing aids that leave behind a strong mineral smell. If you're spending a lot of money on a bottle of wine in a restaurant, sniff the empty glass first. At home, a film of grease can settle on a previously clean glass. It's no reflection on the quality of the housekeeping-cooking fats disperse in the air and settle on everything in a kitchen. An additional rinsing and a wipe with a clean towel are all you need.
Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The and the tasty bang BANG: A Novel
Customer Review: Riedel's "0" series is no zero...
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved them the second I unwrapped them!
Beautifully crafted and amazingly delicate, they are also very modern in appearance and quite a bit of fun to look at. Both "newbies" like myself and some friends enjoy the stemless stemware, and afficianados who drink wine often such as my Dad love the new feel. Of course, he also loves not being likely to break any more stems!
I only recently found out they were dishwasher safe. And they are. Icing on the cake, certainly. They feel so delicate I was hesitant, but sometimes you just have to give it a whirl.
This feature, I think, ensures that I'll be using them more often than not!
As for what they were intended for? Compared to all of my other stemware, they have a wonderfully delicate, slightly turned lip that is excellent for tasting. They have a light and balanced feel to the glass (first time I've enjoyed holding a wineglass empty). And they are large enough to develop a full-bodied bouquet to enjoy, even when ya got a big nose like me ;-)
I have 4 and now I'm thinking of ordering more (donating my old, unused glasses to a charitable cause such as my brother-in-law who thinks two-buck-chuck is a highlight of his evening).
Customer Review: Two small issues with these glasses
Summary: 3 Stars
I would like to have rated the tumblers higher, but I have found two problems, the first of which I haven't seen in other reviews. One of the two tumblers that I ordered has a flaw in the glass about halfway up the side, sort of like a pimple for lack of a better description. I noted this at the time of its arrival, and I'm certain that Amazon would have been willing to replace it. However, the value of the tumblers didn't quite merit the trouble. :O|
The second item isn't a flaw per se, but just a trait of the glassware. It does show fingerprints quite well. My wife and I had the tumblers out tonight with a meal that included bread. My wife must have picked up her glass with a bit of butter on one finger, which I say because I could easily see the big smudge from across the table even with marginal eyesight.
Having said the above, I still admit to the tumblers utility for the purpose intended when I bought them - to allow for a glass of wine without the worry of one other item to hand wash at the end of a dinner.
Customer Review: Never serve good wine in a bad glass.
Summary: 1 Stars
I have always thought of myself as a wine connoisseur, not a wine snob so bear that in mind as I tell you that these "fashionable" glasses need to be used for something other than wine. Even a modestly decent wine will taste different in every glass, thus the wine glass can kill your wine. Insisting on fine stemware for your wine is "not" snobbery--it is just a good investment on top of the expense of your wine.
So, as for these stemless tumblers--Your hand on the bowl warms the wine, hides the wine and leaves fingerprints. Need I say more? The only time you want to warm the product in the glass is when you have brandy or cognac or a similar beverage that increase in quality and flavor when gently warmed. Wine DOES NOT fit in that category. Unfortunately, these glasses aren't for those beverages either. Everyone knows that the serving temperature of wine is of paramount importance. All "balance" of the wine (red or white) will be lost.
Riedel is a wonderful company, but I must protest the stemless wine glass.
Customer Review: Great Glassware
Summary: 5 Stars
These are essentially the bowls from the professional quality Riedel Vinum glasses produced without stems. By doing without stems you get a glass that neatly fits in the dishwasher, and save about $10 per glass compared to the stemmed Riedel. I have been using these for several months and they are fabulous. Since they are non-lead crystal, they develop the bouquet due to microscopic "pores" that non-crystal glassware lacks. They really gleam, right out of the dishwasher. Best of all, the rims are thin and smooth, which is the luxury feel that premium glassware is all about.
If you are wondering which to buy as an "all purpose" red glass, I prefer the syrah/shiraz glass over the cabernet/merlot, even though I drink mostly cabernet. The syrah glass is just a bit taller and more graceful. But the difference is minor.
I have been a wine "nut" for over 20 years, and these glasses are teriffic. Buy them, and feel safe using them daily. They will improve the enjoyment of every wine you drink, from Gallo to Lafite