51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite all-around wine glass, August 17, 2000
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4 (Kitchen)
OK, maybe you know that Riedel crafts a separate shape for every variety of wine under the sun - and that this one is designed for Pinot Noir or red Burgundy. As a devoted fan of those wines I can tell you that the glass really does make them taste (and more importantly smell) much finer; letting you truly appreciate the uniquely aromatic character of that grape. So much of the detail rises up from this wide, tapered bowl that they'll "tear a lesser wine apart" to quote some of the literature.
Snobbery aside, I have to say that these are also my favorite all-around wine glasses. I find that the aroma of all my wines is more pleasing to me in these glasses. The bowl is designed to make swirling your wine virtually risk-free, even if you're hovering over (or wearing) something that stains easily while you madly agitate the glass. It also leaves you free to wander through a dinner party or spend a crazed dinner hour chasing the kids around the table, all without worrying that an absent-minded moment will empty your glass and add to the dog's already worrisome drinking problem.
This is the "house glassware" in my house now, as it should be in yours.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for Pinot Noir and Burgundy Wines, November 8, 2000
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4 (Kitchen)
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 enjoy both US Pinot Noirs as well as Burgundies, and this is perfect for both. If you're a pinot fan, definitely give these a try!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Riedel Anti-Pinot Noir glass, December 1, 2007
This review is from: Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4 (Kitchen)
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.
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