How important is the glas when you have a wine tasting?

When I have a wine tasting I think the glas is the most important. Becuse with out them you can't get all the aroma that you want. So what do you think? Are the glases so important that I think?

What is the oldes vintage you ever taste? Just fun to know

Hi Hans

When our wine tasting group meets, I usually bring my Reidel glasses so that I can taste the wines in the appropriate glasses. We've poured the same wine into different glasses and noticed how the aroma and even the perception of the flavor changes significantly with the glass shape. I guess that's since so much of flavor is influenced by smell.

I really didn't want to believe the different (i.e. more expensive) glasses could make a difference, but tasting the same wine out of Reidels versus ordinary wine glasses made me a believer. In fact, one of my biggest complaints about many Italian restaurants is that they don't provide appropriate stemware for enjoying nebbiolo; I find that Burgundy or nebbiolo stems really enhance my enjoyment of the wine, since I can more easily smell all those great rose petal, tar, and cherry aromas.

Welcome, Hans.

When I can, I bring Riedels, especially the stemless types, to tastings. But many of the BYOB restaurants in New York City and Northern New Jersey discourage bringing your own glasses.

I do like nicer glasses -- they add to the experience and frankly it never seems fair to me to try a favorite wine -- Chave 1990 for example -- in a plasitc tumbler, and compare it with another wine I can remember having in beautiful crystal.

Regards, Bob

[James Roscoe]

Atmosphere is nice too. I can't believe people taste in places with cigarette smoke. This is really backwards to me. I just ran into this situation in South Carolina where most wine bars are full of smoke.
I must agree that the glass is the first thing I look for. If I am going to a store tasting, I always take my own glass.

I think glasses are very important. I really regret trying to cup that '59 Palmer in a "cup" I made of my hands- not only did it taste sweaty, a lot ended up on the ground.

Seriously, I like to have good glasses (thin rims and enough bowl) , though I'm not especially anal about shape. It is hard to drink a great wine from a thickrimmed 8 oz glass.

Hans, ever since I read this note from David Schildknecht, I've been campainging Janet for two red glasses from this firm. I'd probably never leave home without them.

"For what it's worth - from somebody who sells Riedel - the stemware from the long-established firm of Lobmeyr in Vienna is indeed of fine quality. Moreover, Lobmeyr is notable for having strikingly if very expensively reproduced a set of turn of the century stemware they commissioned from Josef Hoffmann of the Wiener Secession - should you want something on the table to match the Klimt hanging on your wall. The champagne flutes are to die for.

Prosit!"

Pricey, yes. Worth it? There is only one way to tell!

http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/Lobmeyrglass.html

Regards, Bob

I certainly won't say no to expensive Riedel custom stemware, but personally I usually use the simpler (and far less expensive) INAO standard tasting glasses at wine tastings.

I do draw the line at serving wine in jelly jars or Mason jars at formal tastings.

-Paul W. (so call me a heretic and a Philistine)

I'd make love with Nicole Kidman even if she did eat crackers in bed.

Answer your question?

Best regards,
Alex R.

Surely the act would increase in enjoyment without the crackers, though, wouldn't it Alex?

Regards, Bob

Bob,

I think that really fancy, expensive glasses are a waste of money. I say that only because they *break*!!!

Let me put it this way. the crackers in bed anoyance factor taken within the context of making love with Nicole Kidman is absolutely minimal. If presented with such a scenario, it would not put me off!!!
By the same token, I'd opt for Château Margaux in a juice glass any day over Château Giscours in a Riedel glass.

Of course, I see your point about the crackers (... and the glasses) - why not strive for perfection? All I'm trying to say is that the glasses (or the crackers) are not a truly significant or meaningful part of the experience IMHO. They count, but not that much.

I enjoy playing pool. I have a nice cue. I'm an average player. But a really good player can outshoot me any day with a cheap, average cue.

Having said this, I have chosen the middle path.
Riedel is too expensive for me. I have Spiegelau glasses (yes, I know that Riedel bought Speigelau last year....) that are the right shape and relatively thin.
Even if I came into an inheritance or won the National Lottery, I would not buy Riedel. The difference in quality is minimal in my eyes in light of the total wine experience.
This goes on the same principle that I would not drinked classed growth claret every day even if I could afford it.


Best regards,
Alex R[/code]

Ah, Alex, you've come to a wonderful compromise. My own clear choice are the O glasses, which are much more stable than stems, and work on so many levels.

But of course I use them every day.

I suppose cracker crumb tolerance depends a bit on how often one enjoys the experience -- only in your imagination, once in a lifetime, or every day. :-)

Regards, Bob

[James Roscoe]

Silly Nicole Kidman analogies aside, the moral of the story is only buy glasses you are willing to buy again once they break. Sure, Riedel glasses make a better tasting experience, but at what price? That is up to each individual. Some people love the "O" glasses. I prefer stems. I purchased four nice crystal champagne flutes (not Riedel) for my wife for Christmas. We now have two. Easy come, easy go. Champagne is definitely better in the crystal (I can't recall the maker), and more for her birthday, but the point is, you shouldn't buy glasses that you aren't willing to sweep up tomorrow.
Cheers!
James

Good advice, James. The funny thing is that I love the Os and they are really cheap compared to the fancier types we own, but rarely use. Not for fear of breaking them, but because we like the Os better.

How do you break so many glasses, though? Two since Christmas seems like a lot.

Regards, Bob

[James Roscoe]

We do a lot of entertaining. We use the good glasses. That's what they're for. They break at variuos stages, usually when being washed. We also have two teenagers in the house (girls), and they are not as careful as they might be. In the long run you can't get too attached to stuff, but you are making me think about the "O's".
Cheers!
James

Try washing the glasses in the dishwasher, stems in plastic holders, Os on the top shelf supported with cups. We've done thousands of glasses over the years, all the stems Riedels. Never a single glass broken while washing -- and they look beautiful.

Regards, Bob

[James Roscoe]

Quite frankly, we just got a new dishwasher so I might try it. The old one was a relic from the 80's. I barely trusted my regular glasses in there. Thanks for the advice.
Cheers!
James

Here's the one we use:

http://www.wineenthusiast.com/E/details.asp?
Ep=An/4294967174+4294967111//A/8875&
uid=A311DC7E%2D1E85%2D4D0A%2D98CB%2D0A8FDE454EDD

Stems only, of course.

Regards, Bob

[edited for thread mod]

[James Roscoe]

Cool. I will be ordering one of those. Thanks again!

On the rare occasion that we find time to do a tasting (sob), we try to stick to the same glass, usually an INO (although I now use the Spiegelau tasting glass for reference now). Last tasting we had ended up being a pigs breakfast of wine glasses, making for a fascinating experience. We made sure the wine poured never got into the same glass twice (if possible) and then had a sniff of the same wine from each other's glasses. I can definitely attest to the fact that the glass shape does effect the way the wine shows. Some wines were completely muted by the shape (in the case of a couple of the wines, this was not a bad thing).
Now when I taste wines I always pour some into an INO glass as well just so I can get some sort of reference point o start from. I find tasting from one of these glasses is akin to looking at an impressionist painting up close. You can get a good idea of the detail of the colours used and the technique, but it does not always allow you to stand back to appreciate the work as a whole.

Cheers,

Simon

What's the best empirical research on the question?

I know that the Revue des Vins de France did a comparison test about a year ago on the best all round tasting glass and the Spiegelau came out on top, they included the Riedel stemless taster). The best way really would be to try for yourself.

Cheers,

Simon

When I have a wine tasting I think the glas is the most important. Becuse with out them you can't get all the aroma that you want. So what do you think? Are the glases so important that I think?

If its a wine tasting then I want the standard ISO glass.

That's the glass that is handed out at all the wine shows and trade tastings I've gone to, and all the competitions I've judged (except for IWC) and its the type we use at the 3 wine tasting groups I belong to.

There's enough variables in wine without adding the glass.

We get ours for $5 at a local shop with wine tastings.

[James Roscoe]

Peter,
What does ISO mean? Pardon the newbie question.
Cheers!
James