Customer Reviews

Spiegelau Vino Grande Red Wine Glasses, Set of 6

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I strongly dispute the previous reviewer. I own a winery and have experienced most every stemware made. I use these Spiegelau glasses for every-day use, and LOVE THEM. In contrast to what one reviewer said, I find them slightly thicker than the Riedels, and hence -- as s/he noted -- they don't break nearly as often. The shape is very elegant; slightly more modern or contemporary. These Vino Grande Reds work well for both reds and whites, and you don't need to worry about them breaking. 1) they don't break as often, and 2) they are a fraction of the price. I have bought three dozen of them, and have NEVER seen any flaws or imperfections. I find the quality every bit as good as Riedel. My Riedels are pulled out when I want to "impress" a wine writer. Otherwise, it's Spiegelau for me!

OK so these are not Riedels, but at this price, who cares? These glasses are very similar in shape to Riedel Vinum glasses (NOT Vinum Extreme) but are a bit less weighty, and appear to be made of slightly thinner glass. However, once you start using these glasses you will not notice the difference. I bought the Spiegelau glasses because I got sick and tired of paying $15+ per stem to replace my Riedels after breaking them -- after all, I would rather spend the money buying wine, not glasses, wouldn't you? I got a great deal (buy the bord stems and get the burg stems free) from Amazon and bought two dozen. I have been very pleased and have not broken a single stem. The glasses look nice and are excellent for tastings -- and at this price useful for larger group tastings. I wash them in the dishwasher with no problem. You can pay 2-3X more for Riedels but I bet you won't be able to tell the difference. Also, since they are less expensive than the Riedels, you don't have to be overly concerned about breakage. All-in-all a great glass and a great value -- highly recommended if you are serious about wine of if you just want a set of good looking stems that won't break the bank.

These glasses are beautiful. Although I could never seriously consider spending the money for Riedels, I did handle one at the liquor store. I prefer the balance of the Spiegelau.
Most important, the wine tastes better in these quality glasses than in the inexpensive "no names." We enjoyed a Cabernet in our new glasses. Then to make sure I wasn't just imagining that it tasted better in my new purchase, I poured some wine in my old glasses. My husband's response to the wine in our old glasses was "What's wrong with this wine." Maybe we should have tasted from the old glasses then from the new ones. Even with all of the write-ups I never dreamed it would make that much difference.

Spiegelau was acquired by Riedel a year or two ago, and is quite similar to the Riedel Vinum glassware, which sits just below Riedel's high end sommelier series. These glasses offer exceptional value. The difference between the Spiegelau and the Riedel is less in the quality of any individual stems--both are well-made, European machine blown crystal--than in the fact that Riedel offers a broader range of glassware specifically designed to enhance wines from particular varietals (e.g., cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir) or from particular appellations (e.g., Burgundy, Bordeaux). If you are simply looking for a basic red wine glass and a basic white wine glass, the Spiegelau will work just fine. However, if you usually just drink Barolo, for example, you might wish to invest a bit more money in a Riedel stem specifically developed to enhance the bouquet and flavors of that appellation. However, the most important thing to know is that these are excellent quality glassware that offer the major advantages of crystal over regular glass, a thin lip and a microscopic pores in the glass that effectively increase surface area, increasing the area from which the bouquet can launch.

After reading some of these reviews, I find it hard to believe that we are talking about the same product. I have about 40 of these glasses (red and white) and an equal number of Riedel Sommelier series.

I love both brands, but these are the ones I use everyday. Not that they can not be used for more formal entertaining - I use them for that as well.

All breakage has been my fault. I torqued one stem and dropped a couple of others. However, with reasonable care, these will last for many years. I normally put them in the dishwasher (which even came with some Riedels to demonstrate that crystal can be safely cleaned in it), but hand wash them occasionally. (When washing by hand, hold them from the bowl, not the stem or base!)

The bottom line is that for the money, they can not be beat. They are well made, balanced, and concentrate the nose better than anything I have seen at this price point.

Buy these and you'll still have money left for wine!

I have owned Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glasses for a decade and love them for their size, shape, clarity, and elegance. However, I have stopped purchasing them. Why? All one needs to do is look at them firmly and they break. My wife and I finally made a rule never to wash them after drinking any amount of wine. Then we escalated to not washing them if we were tired or distracted. Finally, we solved this ongoing problem by purchasing Spiegelau Vino Grande Red Wine Glasses recommended by a friend. At initial evaluation they look virtually identical to the Riedels, but on closer inspection are slightly thicker although an almost perfect match in shape. The feel is similarly elegant. The Reidels have been moved to the back of the cupboard. After breaking 3 or 4 Reidels per year, we have not broken a single similar Spiegelau in 2 years.

I agree with the first reviewer above as far as quality but concur with the second reviewer above that they are slightly thicker and much less fragile than the Riedels. Hopefully Riedel's purchase of Spiegelau will not escalate their price.

Very delicate yet very tough glasses. I've owned my set for 4 years, using them regularly, almost every day, and they have yet to break or show signs of deterioration. They have been knocked over many times on a tile counter and have survived every impact. I highly recommend these.

I bought these because they are advertised as "vino grande red wine glasses." I bought a similar-titled item 2-3 years ago but they had a different and more red-wine-friendly shape. Actually, they are more suited for white wine or a desert wine. Red Wine likes a large bowl with a thin lip. The glass is high end (spiegelau is wonderful) but the bowl is not large. If you prefer a barolo or cabernet type wine, you would be advised to purchase the "burgundy" or "bordeaux" glass which is better suited for most red wines.

Not at all what I thought. The reviews made this sound like the Reidel bordeaux glasses, but these hold maybe half the wine, are much smaller in volume, don't have much of a balloon shape. Very disappointed. Don't get these if your goal is to replicate the Reidel.

We have Riedel Bordeaux and Chardonnay glasses that we use on special occassions, they are nice but easy to break. The Spiegalau Vino Grande Red Wine Glasses have a great shape, elegant, well balanced in the hand, long stem, durable, and are great for any wine, red or white. Have also tried various other wine glasses over the last several years. I prefer drinking out of these particular glasses more than any other.