Riedel Vinum Syrah/Rhone Wine Glasses, Set of 6

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Product Features

• Six glasses for wines made from the Shiraz grape variety
• Glass design enhances taste of wines such as Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre
• Machine-made, 24-percent lead crystal
• Made in Bavaria by world's premier wine glass maker
• 9-1/4 inches tall; capacity of 22-7/8 ounces

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 3.8 x 9.2 inches ; 8.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 5 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.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B00004SZ7W
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #117,114 in Kitchen & Dining (See Bestsellers in Kitchen & Dining)

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 tannins in wines made from the Australian Shiraz variety of grape, such as Amarone, Blaufränkisch, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache, Hermitage Rouge, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Pinotage, Shiraz, and Syrah. The glass shape also provides balance to the intense flavor of this very concentrated wine. Each glass stands 9-1/4 inches high and holds 22-7/8 ounces of wine. --Cristina Vaamonde

Product Description

As seen in American Way:This shape was developed between 1993 and 1995 following tastings in the major Syrah growing regions, when most influential winemakers contributed their views on how the message of their wines should be put across.The wines made from the Australian grape variety Shiraz, give a deep purple, almost inky color. The nose resembles intense, rich blackberry aromas. The flavors on the palate show mouthfilling fruit, massive structure and a long, sweet finish. The shiraz/syrah glass highlights the tannins, offering a perfect balance with the overwhelming concentrated fruit.Each of these magnificent glasses is specifically designed to enhance a wine's flavor and bouquet. By customizing the shape of the glass to the characteristics of each grape variety, the wine is able to achieve its fullest expression. Elegance, lightness, and balance are the hallmarks of Riedel stemware. 9 1/4"H, 23 oz. Set of 6.Recommended for: Amarone, Blaufrankisch, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache, Hermitage Rouge, Malbec, Mourvedre, Pinotage, Rhone, Shiraz, Syrah.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A direct comparison will clinch the argument, February 3, 2004

By	"ingmarw" (Paris France) - See all my reviews

We currently live in France, a country where wine is etched into the national consciousness. We invited some French friends over to compare Australian and French wines of the same grape varieties (chardonnay, cabernet, merlot), but didn't have enough Riedel glasses to go around. Some of us were consistently rating wines lower - and then we realised that they had the non-Riedel glasses. A quick tour of the table with the same wine in the two types of glass convinced everybody of the merits of this glassware. A TIP ON WASHING: one pain is the need to hand-wash these glasses. A sommelier gave us the tip that to avoid breaking Riedels while washing, do not hold the stem to turn the glass while cleaning it. Hold the whole bowl with one hand, while using a wash cloth with the other.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a dip in quality?, December 30, 2001

By	"raggedy1" (san francisco, ca United States) - See all my reviews

There aren't any wine glasses out there that I prefer over the Riedel Vinum series (except the Sommelier of course). I do have one observation though, and this is why I didn't give this glass a 5 star rating: the Vinums that I've purchased in the past 5 months don't seem to be up to the same quality standards of the Vinums I purchased a year ago. The "older" Vinum, which has the logo etched in the base, has a better/cleaner cut rim and the bowl seems to be thinner - making the entire glass look, feel and sound more elegant. The "new" Vinum, which has the logo and "riedel" name etched in the base, has a lip which looks slightly rounded in a side-by-side comparison with the "older" glass and the bowl/glass itself seems thicker. Maybe Riedel made some changes to improve durability, but I like my old Riedels better. All in all, as I said at the beginning of this review, there is nothing better out there than the Riedel Vinum series (as long as you don't pay full retail)....

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HUGE glasses are beautiful and nicely balanced, December 17, 2001

By	Bob Carpenter (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I rushed right out and got a set of Riedel Syrah Vinum series stemware after being served wine in them at a restaurant. I simply hadn't been convinced by the press or seeing them in stores. But having used them for a month, I can say that they've made a world of difference in my enjoyment.

Oenophiles (like me) will tell you that the choice of glass will determine how your wine is aerated based on how much surface area is exposed, and how the escaping fumes are concentrated, based on size and shape of bowl above the level of a filled glass. This does wonders for balancing fruit and acidity, especially on the nose. You might want a bunch of Riedel stemware to match with your wine if you are no longer challenged by food pairings.

In addition to taste, the 24% lead crystal is perfect for evaluating the hue, intensity, and clarity of wine, the glasses are perfectly balanced for swirling, and they are perfectly shaped for evaluating the nose of a nice syrah (Rhone, California), aka shiraz (Australia). They will also work for grenache (Chateauneuf), mourvedre (Bandol) or big zinfandels (California). The elegant styling doesn't hurt, either. One word of warning, though: these glasses are massive, and cry out for sizable plates and cutlery to match.

Does Riedel's stemware deserve its great press and near cliche status? Yes, without a doubt. Simply go to your local department store and compare other crystal stemware. Riedel's actually not that expensive, either. I haven't compared the Vinum series stemware (machine made crystal) against Riedel's Sommelier series (hand blown, two to three times as expensive), but the Vinum stems appear absolutely flawless. My only complaint is the tiny, some might even say tasteful, logo etched on the foot; you probably won't notice it unless you're as vehemently anti-logo as me.

With six of these glasses and a bottle of Hermitage, you won't have trouble rounding up five friends with whom to enjoy an evening.