Customer Reviews

Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

We tried a blind taste test with Riedel and a glass that had a similar stem and weight, making it nearly impossible to tell the difference when holding the glass blindfolded.

I tasted the first glass, then the second. There was a definite difference, but I thought I might be making it up, so I asked for the first glass again. That third taste seemed identical to the previous taste. I was disappointed that there wasn't a difference, but relieved because I didn't really want to invest in expensive glasses.

I'd been duped. Instead of getting the first glass back, I got the second one instead. No wonder they tasted the same.....

There really is a marked difference between the correct Riedel glass and any other wine glass. I've done blind tests on guests with the same results.

The good news is the marketing is not just hype. The bad news is I've invested heavily in expensive glasses.

Enjoy!

I've been using these glasses regularly. They are OK for daily use, but can't compare with the pricey Sommelier series from Riedel. The top rims are too thick and slightly 'bulged', even for machine blown glass. They also lack the 'porosity' of hand blown crystal, meaning the bouquet really doesn't soar out as it should. On sale, these are OK, but there are better brands in this price range. In particular, you should look at a German brand called Spiegelau, which is also carried by Amazon.

I've done many, many tests on how wine tastes differently in various glass options and in different situations. Riedel is one of the tests that is easy for even beginning drinkers to see the difference in. The flavor is *amazingly* different when you compare the exact same wine in a Riedel glass vs normal wine glasses.

Even if you buy inexpensive wines, you will get much more enjoyment out of them with this glassware compared to other options. If you are buying mid-range wines, the difference will blow you away. Think of the Riedel glass as allowing you to see what the wine in your bottle *really* was meant to taste like.

I use the Bordeaux glass for a number of red wine types, not just Bordeaux, and find it greatly enhances the flavor for them all. If you're a red wine lover, definitely give these a try!

Many of my wine drinking buddies have been disgustingly euphoric over the Riedel glasses. So when Amazon started selling them at a discount, I took the plunge. My buddies are right. Tasted three wines in the Riedel Bordeaux glass vs. my regular decent glasses. The wine tasted better in the Riedel--markedly better. One reason was that the Riedel design enhances the aroma of the wine. But, in addition, for reasons I can't explain, the wine in the Riedel glasses seemed to be a mite less tannic/astringent than in the other glasses. go figure.

I own the Vinum Bordeaux, Chardonnay, and the Prestige Cuvee glasses, as well as the sommelier Red Burgundy glasses, and I love them all.

If you are going to spend the money on a nice bottle of wine, you should invest in these glasses, as they really do accentuate a wine's bouquet and taste.

The only drawback is that they are extermely fragile - soon I will have to order a new chardonnay set, as the original six have dwindled to two. Regardless, I will never go back to generic glasses.

These are designed to make the wine hit the right spots on the tongue, bringing out the true flavour of wine. The extra tall bowl and perfect diameter of the rim is ideal to enjoy the aroma, and the weight of the crystal adds glamour to the whole experience.

Simply fabulous!

I used to scoff at people who bought fancy wine glasses. OK, I admit it. There was even a time when I didn't mind drinking wine in a plastic glass. Riedel glasses have changed my mind forever, and I've joined the ranks of people who buy fancy glasses.

The Vinum Bordeaux glasses make those lovely reds taste and smell even better. I just can't say enough good things about these glasses.