Wine Glasses, How Do They Affect Wine?

Wine Glasses, How Do They Affect Wine? – Episode #111

October 19, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Spreadsheet courtesy of Chris Stanisci
2003 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir North Slope
Caymus 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon SOLD OUT

Today Gary tackles a very important topic that many people discuss and debate at a fever pitch in the wine industry. Gary grabs two great wines and attacks this subjuct head first, please join in the discussion and let us know what you think. Also this is tell your friends thursday. Pass the WLTV word around!

229 Responses

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October 20, 2006

TommyG
Its the stemware, stupid!!!

So Gary, when are you going to start offering great deals on glasses?

I really enjoyed this episode, very educational.
Keep them coming!
October 20, 2006

E
Matthew – the Target Riedels are the Vivant line (see upthread). As far as I know they’re somewhere between the Ouverture and Vinum lines in quality–they’re lead free crystal as opposed to glass. I don’t have any myself, but they’re larger than the standard Ouvertures. The decanter’s not a bad deal for $20, but if you want to maximize the amount of exposure to air you can only get a half bottle in there.
October 20, 2006

TimF
Rob M.: Bored?
October 20, 2006

Rob M.
4*{[(17+4)*2]+2} !!!!!
October 20, 2006

Rob M.
175!!!
October 20, 2006

Rob M.
Julius, I also saw the “wine” series on Riedel’s web site. Does anyone have any experience with these, specifically how they compare with the similarly priced Vinum series, how sturdy they are, etc?
October 20, 2006

Rob M.
TampaSteve, Brandon, Julius- I agree with your comments regarding eating at home. I, too, enjoy cooking, but as with wine, still have a lot to learn. However, instead of going out and spending $100 on two nice dinners, you can throw caution to the wind and buy some great ingredients. You can go to a good butcher for your meat, instead of the supermarket. You can buy items that will last for future meals, i.e. good olive oil, vinegar, newly purchased spices, etc. Use fresh herbs instead of dried. All, still less than you would have paid in the restarant. Then, there is the wine. No 2.5-3x markups. Use your stemware. Decant if you like, for as long as you like. Whatever your price point, think about having two bottles of wine with dinner, PLUS one to save for later, all for the same price as the one bottle in the restaurant. Finally, if you have children, the cost of the babysitter can be saved (and invested in more wine, or Brandon’s Sommelier toilet water bowl, etc). We love you, Brandon!

GeneV- I understand and respect your (and Robert Parker’s) comments, but it seems to me the bigger the better. I understand to a point, you may not get as concentrated of a nose in a big bowl, but if the greater surface area exposed to air, while swirling, should aerate and open the wine more. For some reason, I enjoy a 5 oz pour in a 22 oz glass- I know the glass looks nearly empty, but I love putting my big shnoz in the glass and inhaling deeply! However, I freely admit if the bigger is better was the rule, there would be no 13 oz chianti glass, etc.

Ready for the new episode!
October 20, 2006

Matthew L
Target sells Riedel glasses don’t they? I assume there are different “levels” of quality for these glasses, just as there are different levels of quality from vineyards. Meaning, perhaps the Riedel sold at Target is at the low end of the quality spectrum, whereas Riedel sold at Wine Library or Williams & Sonoma are higher quality.

Does anyone know?
October 20, 2006

TimF
Rick McQ: No, but it will stop your hiccups…
October 20, 2006

Rick McQ
Gary: Great Show!!!

Will wine taste different if you drink from the other side of the glass? If you try it use Yellow Tail.
October 20, 2006

Susan
GOL-
Thanks for the good tip.
The last thing I would want to do is get some of my first wines glasses
and then break them the first time they are washed!
October 20, 2006

GOL
TampaSteve – Your comment #138 is right on. I felt like I was reading my own thoughts.

Susan – GV answered my question of how he washes wine glasses and mentioned how others wash glases on a previous episode, I’m guessing it was somewhere in the 70s. To paraphrase, he uses hot water and just gives it a rinse. I have found this works pretty well if you can wash your glasses fairly soon after using them; in addition, to get marks off the lip, i just hold the glass in one hand (on the base, not the stem, which is weak) and “pinch” my fingers together on the lip while i rotate the glass. I use water as hot as I can stand. Then I use a hand towel to dry. No streaks. I’ve never broken a glass this way, and after a while it gets pretty easy.
October 20, 2006

TampaSteve
Ok, just got back from Williams-Sonoma 200 bones poorer but 8 Ridel glasses richer.

Italian Stallion, Riedel recently bought out Spiegelau. I use the Spiegelau when I have wine tastings at my house.

Brandon, I have found that I am doing a lot more cooking at home. I have a hard time paying 3 times the price for a bottle at a restaurant when I can enjoy it the “right” way at home for 1/3 the price.
October 20, 2006

Italian Stallion
Hey Chris,

Actually I do work there….how’d you know? I asked where you got it because maybe you too work at NBC and we would not only have been WLTV blog buddies, but also colleagues…how funny would that have been? It wouldn’t be unusual because I saw a colleague at the super tasting and never knew he was a WLTV fan as I was……so as they say “You never know”…..PS: I use spieglau glasses and they work great. I have the Spieglau bordeaux glasses…..exactly the same as the riedel, just a little heavier..

-Stallion
October 20, 2006

Jaye
Brandon, RE: #137 . . . LMAO!!
October 20, 2006

Julius
Wine Enthusiast has a line of Riedel glasses called the “wine line.” They’re machine blown lead free crystal and they’re currently on sale at $41.95 for a set a four plus free shipping. They offer a Cab/Bordeaux/Merrlot, a Pinot Noir/Burgundy, a Chardonnay/Sauv Blanc/Pinot Grigio, a Zin/Chianti and a Champagne flute.
October 20, 2006

Eugene
Brandon,
Ouverture is not made of crystal. It is the cheapest line of Riedel. The glasses for reds and for whites are much smaller than their respective cousins on Vinum line. The glass is thick and just not the same quality as other Riedel glasses.
October 20, 2006

Brandon M
Sorry Everyone…Eugene is right…I was thinking the Ouverture (Just off of a small Internet picture) I did mean Vinum (Lynn…the price is actually correct for the Vinum…you can find them around 18 – 19 bones each) 4 Vinum Bordeaux and 4 Vinum Chardonnay / Chablis.

Geese…I’m losin it.

B
October 20, 2006

Eugene
Julius,
I agree with you on the restaurant issue, except that sometime ambience makes it all.

As far as wine goes, it usually safe to bring a nice bottle of white. It can be served as an aperitif before dinner, even if the host serving red meat.

Some reds are very versatile. A good bottle of Rioja reserva would go with almost anything.
October 20, 2006

Brandon M
Eugene…explain further
October 20, 2006

Brandon M
I’ve never had a restaurant salmon as good as I, or my Dad, can cook it. I think home cooking is ALWAYS superior to going out. Usually your getting a gourmet meal and GREAT wine for far less money.
October 20, 2006

Eugene
Brandon,
I disagree with you on Ouveture, they donâ€™t represent Riedel at all.

You might as well get Ikea glasses for $2 each. The Vinum is the way to go. Just my opinion.
October 20, 2006

Julius
My wife and I general don’t have a problem with restaurants having a good wine list, decanting the wine or having the proper glassware. Or enjoying really good food for that matter. We have it all at home. I’m not bragging when I say I’m a good cook, to which my wife can attest. In fact, being in New York City, where there is no lack of restaurants, there have been so many times that she has said the food at home is better than at the restaurant we where currently dining. And the wine list, along with its accoutrements, is usually far superior.
October 20, 2006

Matthew L
Thanks Julius. That’s pretty much my M.O. If I’m expected to bring wine for dinner, I usually know what’s being served and pair it from there.

My M.O., now, is to bring a nice bottle of wine as a gift for the hosts; not expecting it to be consumed with dinner. I had to get over that because years ago I would bring a nice bottle of wine, the hosts wouldn’t open it and I was like WTF?
October 20, 2006

Brandon M
perfect explination Julius