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113 of 117 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice, but ..., November 25, 2002
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6 (Kitchen)
I've owned >100 Riedel stems over the years and used them for drinking everything from old Bordeaux to Montrachet to Cal cabs to Port. These glasses (and the Vinum Chardonnay, etc.) are beautiful, work extraordinarily well, and are a pleasure to hold. That said, however, they are also very expensive and don't provide any observable advantages over the equivilent Spiegelau stems ( Spiegelau Authentis Collection Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6) at less than half the price. Spiegelau also has the advantage of being _much_ more durable.
If price is no object, by all means buy the Riedel. However, if your real passion is wine (as opposed to glassware), do what I've done, buy the Spiegelau and spend the difference on a few really nice bottles to lay down in your cellar.
Update: Riedel now owns Spiegelau. Seems like the ultimate complement ... "if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em."
And updated again: I've recently started using the Schott Zwiesel Diva Tritan Crystal Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Wine Glasses Set of 6 series glasses (also available on Amazon). They look as nice, and work as well, as the Riedel and Spiegelau but have the added advantage of being cheaper (than Riedel) and almost unbreakaable. My new favorite.
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Riedel vs. Spiegelau, April 6, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6 (Kitchen)
About two years ago I became interested enough in wine that I decided to invest in some high-end wine glasses. The choice came down to Riedel vs. Spiegelau. The first glasses I purchased were 6 Riedel Bordeaux ($89.99)along with 6 Riedel Chards($79.99). They are beautifully crafted with large bowls, very thin rims and wonderfull balance. Other reviewers have commented on the poor quality of Amazon's shipping so I will not expound further. The wines really do taste better out of these glasses. Unfortunately, the very thin rim, although elegant, is also fragile. Within one year two glasses were broken. Last year I decided to try Spiegelau. If you wait until November/December Amazon will put them on sale and you can purchase 12 glasses for $29.99. These glasses also have fine balance but have a sturdier feel then the Riedel. The rims of the Spiegelau glasses are not as thin as the Riedels and so some may not think they are as elegant. The wine tastes every bit as good if not better out of the Spiegelaus. Unless you can break a $15 glass without uttering an expletive I would save my money and buy the Spiegelau which have now become my everyday glasses.
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now you can REALLY enjoy your wine - Start with these glasses, April 26, 2002
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6 (Kitchen)
If you don't already own a set of Riedel, and you're wondering "are they really worth the money?" - well, the answer is YES. Forget the snob factor. It's the "aroma" factor that makes these delightful glasses worth it. Unless your "wine" comes in non-grape flavors like raspberry, you will enjoy the "taste/smell" improvement offered by Riedel. I've compared Riedel to other (cheaper) large wine glasses, and Riedel still comes out ahead. If you're just getting started, begin by purchasing the Bordeaux glasses, as they offer the most obvious improvement over regular wine glasses.
Oh, and all the comments about how fragile these glasses are? Well, yes, but they're supposed to be washed gently by hand and not in a dishwasher. We've had great luck with ours.
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