Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6

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Product Features

• Six glasses for young, full-bodied red wines
• Glass design enhances taste of wines such as Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja
• Machine-made, 24-percent lead crystal
• Made in Bavaria by world's premier wine glass maker
• 8-7/8 inches tall; capacity of 21-1/2 ounces

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 3.8 x 8.8 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004SZ7G
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,512 in Kitchen & Dining (See Bestsellers in Kitchen & Dining)

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Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Austria's Riedel is the world's premier manufacturer of wine glasses. Made of 24-percent lead crystal, the Vinum series of glasses are the first machine-made wine glasses to be developed uniquely for each type of wine. Since their introduction in 1986, these wine glasses have had a large influence on the wine culture.

The glasses in this set of six were specifically shaped to highlight the fruit in young, full-bodied red wines with high levels of tannin, such as Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, and Tempranillo. The mouths of the Bordeaux glasses draw wine to the areas of the tongue that perceive sweetness, emphasizing the fruit and mellowing the acidity. The large bowls provide room for the wine's rich bouquet to unfold. Each glass stands 8-7/8 inches high and holds 21-1/2 ounces of wine. --Cristina Vaamonde

Product Description

What can we learn from a Riedel (rhymes with "needle") glass? That size matters, as does shape? That form following function has meaning for wine-lovers as well as designers? Or perhaps the deeper lesson that the contents of an outwardly "plain" glass may provide a more sensual, complex, and rewarding experience than those of a superficially beautiful one? The Austrian Riedel family has been involved with glass-making since 1756, but it was two centuries later that Claus Riedel conceptualized a glass made specifically to enhance the flavors and aromas of a designated wine. Through an involved process each style of glass is crafted to accentuate the strengths, while minimizing the weaknesses, of a particular spirit. This is done through changes in the size and shape of the bowl, the diameter of the opening and the cut and polished lip which directs the wine towards a specific area of the tongue. Small wonder Riedel stems are preferred by sommeliers and oenophiles world wide for their ability to transform the perception of a wine.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

106 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very nice, but ..., November 25, 2002

By	M. Green "postretro" (Austin, tx USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Riedel vs. Spiegelau, April 6, 2004

By A Customer

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.

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

By	lawyerwhocooks "lawyerwhocooks" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

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.