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Product Description
Amazon.com Review
Handmade of mouth-blown full lead crystal, this wine glass is from Riedel's top-of-the-line Sommeliers collection and is for those who take their wine seriously. Visually impressive, this gigantic glass was developed in 1959 to enhance the flavor of younger Bordeaux region wines. The glass shape is specifically intended to intensify the texture and blend the acidity with the sweet tannins in wines such as red Bordeaux, Brunello di Montalcino, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Sangiovese, Sangiovese Grosso, and Tempranillo. The large bowl brings out the depth of contemporary wines in the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot families and allows room for rich layers of aroma to unfold in both young and more mature wines. The glass weighs a substantial 14 ounces and holds 30-3/8 ounces of wine. It stands 10-5/8 inches high with a 4-inch wide bowl. --Cristina Vaamonde
Product Description
First developed in 1973 by Claus Riedel and the Association of Italian Sommeliers, this collection consisted of 10 sizes. Since that time new wines and wine-producing regions have taken the world by storm. So the series was developed further by Claus's son Georg, into an all-embracing state of the art wine glass collection. Praised in 1991 by Robert Parker Jr. publisher of The Wine Advocate, as "the finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make." Thanks to world demand, Sommeliers is now the wineglass benchmark and the most successful series of hand-made glasses in the world. Each glass is individually made: the upper parts are blown into a mould, the stem and base are hand-crafted using methods developed at the time of Christ's birth. Our glass-makers invest their talent, know-how and meticulous craftsmanship in making glasses of the impeccable quality our customers expect.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful, but depends on how much you like wine.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru, Single Stem (Kitchen)
I own a modest set (8 different stems) of Sommelier glasses for my own tasting purposes, and believe that they are worth every penny to me, personally. The quality of the Sommelier stems cannot be emphasized enough - even over the Vinum series. They are, in every way, extremely delicate. Very thin walls, thin stems, and beautiful craftsmanship. As long as you are careful with them, they will bring your fine wines into a completely new light. They will allow you to intimately taste the wine in perfect balance. But if you are not a serious wine drinker, stick with the Vinum series. The Vinum series is more than enough. I go to weekly wine tastings at my local wine shop where they serve the wine in cheap ($1 ... maybe) glasses that actually mask the wine's flavors and bring out the harsh qualities while supressing any smells or tastes that would actually allow you to evaluate the wine properly. I started to bring a basic Vinum glass, and the difference was unbelievable. When at home comparing the Vinum and Sommelier series, however, the difference is much less pronounced. If you use a glass that doesn't kill the wine's flavor, that's enough. The added pleasure of the Sommelier series lies mostly in its lighter, more delicate construction. Honestly, I'm not sure how much of it is purely psychological, but it just FEELS good to hold your wine in a delicate work of art. I say mostly, because these glasses are BIG. Some of my friends have threatened to turn my glasses into fish bowls. This added size pulls apart the wine, letting you move your nose around in and above the glass to discover everything that the Vinum series might compress into a smaller space. Overall, buying a few Sommelier stems would do your finer wines a favor, but for everyday drinking, or for those who aren't complete yuppies like myself, the Vinum Series is just fine.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for medium-big reds!,
By Ashley (Stamford, CT) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru, Single Stem (Kitchen)
Riedel crystal wine glasses are some of the best you can buy. They are specially designed for drinking wine... Riedel makes many different shapes of crystal glasses for different wine vareitals. If you only buy one type of high-end glass for your red wine, however, this one is a great choice. As part of the Sommelier line, it is oversized, so it really opens up the wine for a fuller nose and body. Not meant for whites, or weak, light wines - use a smaller, tighter glass for that. I use this glass for bordeaux, of course... cabernet, merlot, barolo and occasionally also for pinot noir, sangiovese, a big chianti, or super tuscan. The taste of the wine in this glass is distinctly different compared to other glasses (crystal and glass) that we own and have used.
I had ordered this glass to replace one that had broken. Though these glasses are incredibly well made and not 'thin' and 'delicate' as some can be, they are still fragile and should be handled and washed with utmost care, especially given the price you are paying for them! My husband chose to handwash it after imbibing a bit too much, and he broke the stem right off. I do not believe that this problem is one of quality at all, but instead consider this a warning for your handling and care for the glass. At the time I ordered, the price I found on Amazon was the lowest in comparison to find compared to other discounted prices offered. These glasses are expensive, but worth it. I was especially impressed by the shipping. In past experience with private distributors, I have had Riedel glasses break in shipping due to poor padding / packaging. When I received my glasses in this case, they were very well protected and arrived intact.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Special Glassware,
By
This review is from: Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru, Single Stem (Kitchen)
If you can afford to splurge on a Riedel Sommelier series glass you will never regret it. You simply can't believe how much difference a great glass can make, even on "everyday" wines. IMHO, the Zinfandel Sommelier glass is a good all around shape for the price; the Bordeaux and Burgundy ballon are bigger and therefore better because they have more internal surface area, but they cost more and there super-size makes them somewhat impractical. Because the crystal is delicate and thin, these clearly are not for the dishwasher and must be handwashed. Be aware also that the Sommelier stems separate from the bowl rather easily if you twist the stem while drying the glass with a towel, which is quite a natural movement. But aside from that issue,which applies to many brands of hand blown crystal these are very special in every way.
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