Customer Reviews

Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Glasses, Set of 4

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

These glasses are, like all the Vinum series, beautiful stemware. The quality is immediately apparent, and the fact that they are crystal means they stay cleaner than glass and don't pick up smells from their contents (and are easier to hand-wash). People have already commented on the shape being so good for tasting reds.

Something that should be mentioned is that the shape and large size, which are designed to allow the aroma of the wine to reach your nose and palate properly and to allow good oxidation, can be misleading. These glasses hold--if you were to fill them-- 24 ounces of wine. Novice vinophile beware! :) I think maybe 1/3 full or less is about right.

Amazon should do a better job making it easy to compare the size of the different Vinum series glasses. If you haven't seen them in person you might get quite a shock if you ordered either these or the Bordeaux (22 oz). The photos make all the glasses appear the same size.

The reason I mention it is that if you aren't going to drink the specific wines these glasses are intended for, you will probably do better with one of the other Vinums as a more general-purpose red glass. (Chianti/Zin, perhaps?) They take up a lot of room. Extremely wonderful for their intended purpose, though...

Received a set as an engagement gift, and absolutely love these. It is amazing how the shape of the glass capture the nose of the wine, these are a must for those that enjoy the pleasures of the vine.

Not only do these wine glasses vastly improve the aroma and taste of Burgundy (my favorite) and Pinot Noir, they make all red wines smell and taste better, including Bordeaux and Cabs and most Italian and Spanish wines I've used them for. My average-priced everyday Cab is much improved in these wine glasses--it tastes like a much more expensive wine.

I have been using these glasses for several years. When I first looked at them I thought "what difference can the shape, etc. of the glass make?" The answer is "a great deal of difference". Cheap they are not, but if you are serious about red Burgs and PNs, these glasses are a necessity.

I am a firm believer in the use of this stemware for burgundies and pinots of distinction. But beware - this glass will make lesser wines unravel at the seams.

As an example, I recently discovered a $15 Oregon pinot that I found quite pleasant. After sampling this wine from Bordeaux/cabernet wine glasses at a friend's house, I found this wine quite nice and decided to buy several bottles. However, after trying it in the Burgundy glass, which has a wider bowl which allows more aromas to escape, as well as a more narrow lip that traps and concentrates the bouquet, the wine smelled alcoholic, acidic, and medicinal.

The moral of the story: use this for your premier cru and grand gru burgundies and other well-crafted pinots, which have infinite layers of aroma and complexity to discover. Avoid the lesser burgundies and pinots out of this glass and try them in something that is more forgiving.

I surprised my wife with the Riedel Vinum Burgundy/Pinot Noir glasses as a Christmas gift. We proceeded to set-up a "taste test" comparing our regular wine glasses to the new Riedel. The other reviews are correct! The difference in all aspects of tasting were remarkable! This will become our "every day" glass.

Ok, I'm wary of everyone that will read this and, like me in the past, think anyone who believes the glass wine is consumed from can have a bearing on it's taste and enjoyment...but IT DOES! Try them, you'll see. I especially love the thin almost flexible nature of the rim of each glass. Cheers.