Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4
by Riedel
(Click here)
Product Summary
Manufacturer: RiedelBrand: Riedel
Model: 416 / 7
Product features:
- Four glasses with large bowls for full-bodied red wines
- Glass design enhances taste of wines such as Pinot Noir, Red Burgundy, and Barbaresco
- Machine-made, 24-percent lead crystal
- Made in Bavaria by world's premier wine glass maker
- 8-1/4 inches tall; capacity of 24-3/4 ounces
- Riedel Vinum Syrah/Rhone Wine Glasses, Set of 6
- Screwpull Lever Model Corkscrew with Foil Cutter and Bonus Stopper
- Riedel Vinum Gourmet Glasses, Set of 6
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4
Customer Review: The Riedel Anti-Pinot Noir glass
Summary: 1 Stars
Sorry, but I beg to differ with the majority view. In my view, this glass is terrible.
I have a very substantial cellar, devoted in large part to red and white Burgundies (and a bit of Oregon pinot noir), which you might gather from my moniker. I also have many dozens of wine and spirits glasses, most all from Riedel. The Riedel red Burgundy Sommelier glass is the reference standard -- beautiful to look at, and an incredible complement to pinot noir. Wine sings in that glass, but it is huge (the bowl will hold a full bottle of wine, although it should be filled with no more than a few ounces at a time), expensive and easily broken.
I bought a set of Riedel Vinum pinot glasses years ago hoping that would provide an alternative for everyday drinking and to tote to restaurants, where I usually bring my own wine and also my own glassware, as most restaurant glassware is worthless (as are most restaurant wine lists). I tried the Vinum pinot glass a few times and soon gave the dozen I had bought away. These glasses are simply brutal to almost any wine poured into them -- oddly enough, particularly brutal to pinot noir; and particularly Oregon and other domestic pinot noir. The glass seems to accentuate the earthy, weedy and vegetal notes in almost any wine, along with the alcohol, while depressing the sensation of fruitiness. The result, particularly for pinot -- blech!
THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE! Riedel developed a Vinum glass for the International Pinot Noir Celebration, held in McMinnville each year. The new glass, dubbed the Oregon pinot glass, is a scaled down version of the beautiful flared tulip shape of the Sommelier red Burgundy glass, and it is a wonderful glass. With its smaller bowl, it does wonders for young pinot, regardless of the appellation. I've come to use it as my general purpose glass, because it is easier to tote to tastings and restaurants than the Sommeliers and works well with virtually any wine, including reds and whites.
I strongly counsel against the older model Vinum pinot glass -- wait for Riedel to market the Vinum Oregon pinot glass at retail, which I understand will happen later in December 2007. That glass fulfills the broken promise of the old Vinum pinot noir glass reviewed here.
UPDATE: Riedel does indeed mass-market the Oregon pinot noir glass. It is now called the "Vinum XL pinot noir" glass and it is available right here on Amazon. I've put a dozen in the cellar and a dozen in the pantry and the XL pinot noir glass has settled in as my general purpose glass over the past couple of years. I highly recommend it -- and strongly DIS-recommend the old style Vinum "Burgundy/pinot noir" glass on offer on this page.
Description of Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4
What can we learn from a Riedel (rhymes with "needle") glass? That size matters, as does shape? That form following function has meaning for wine-lovers as well as designers? Or perhaps the deeper lesson that the contents of an outwardly "plain" glass may provide a more sensual, complex, and rewarding experience than those of a superficially beautiful one? The Austrian Riedel family has been involved with glass-making since 1756, but it was two centuries later that Claus Riedel conceptualized a glass made specifically to enhance the flavors and aromas of a designated wine. Through an involved process each style of glass is crafted to accentuate the strengths, while minimizing the weaknesses, of a particular spirit. This is done through changes in the size and shape of the bowl, the diameter of the opening and the cut and polished lip which directs the wine towards a specific area of the tongue. Small wonder Riedel stems are preferred by sommeliers and oenophiles world wide for their ability to transform the perception of a wine.Austria's Riedel is the world's premier manufacturer of wine glasses. Made of 24-percent lead crystal, the Vinum series of glasses are the first machine-made wine glasses to be developed uniquely for each type of wine. Since their introduction in 1986, these wine glasses have had a large influence on the wine culture.
The glasses in this set of four were specifically shaped to highlight the fruit in full-bodied red wines with high acidity and moderate tannin, such as Barbaresco, Barolo, Barbera, Red Burgundy, Gamay, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Noir. The mouth of the Pinot Noir glasses draws wine to the areas of the tongue that perceive sweetness, highlighting the fruit and mellowing the acidity. The large bowl provides room for the wine's rich bouquet to unfold. Each glass stands 8-1/4 inches high and holds 24-3/4 ounces of wine. --Cristina Vaamonde
Wine Glasses
Kitchen and Housewares
Most talked about in Riedel
Riedel For Two Pinot Noir Wine Glass & Decanter Set, 3 PieceRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Best price: $49.99
Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Set of 6 Plus 1 Bonus Decanter Gift SetRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Riedel Tyrol Pinot Noir Glass, Set of 2Riedel; Riedel; Release date: 2007-06-15; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Riedel Vinum Bordeaux For Two Wine SetRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Best price: $75.99
Price in other shops:
Riedel Sunshine 8-1/ 8-Inch Champagne CoolerRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Best price: $394.35
Price in other shops:
Riedel Vinum 2 + 2 Wine Gift SetRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Best price: $104.50
Riedel Vinum Extreme Pinot Noir/ Burgundy Wine Glass, Set of 2Riedel; Riedel; Release date: 2006-05-23; Kitchen
Best price: $49.95
Price in other shops:
Riedel Dominus 31-3/ 4-Ounce DecanterRiedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Best price: $152.99
Price in other shops:
Sommeliers Loire White WineRiedel; Kitchen
Riedel Vinum Extreme Sauvignon Blanc Wine Glass, Set of 6Riedel; Riedel; Kitchen
Price in other shops: