What's the verdict on the Oregon Pinot Noir glass? Any differences noted?

Or is it just a gimmick?

Robinson had a short note on the glass, and Riedel's take on it:


The Oregon Pinot Noir glass was a one-off, he says, initially fueled more by the desire of the state’s winemakers to have such a vessel than by Riedel’s to desire to make one.

“I didn’t like the thought of producing a regional glass, as it opens one up to questions both pleasant and unpleasant,” he says. (Like, what makes Oregon so special? And, isn’t this just a trick to sell more stemware? Or, can my region have one, too?)

“I was sceptical at first – do I need to do this, will it make a difference? But the region supported it so strongly – Amy Wesselman (executive director of Oregon’s International Pinot Noir Celebration), Ponzi, Drouhin, Domaine Serene all pushed for it. So we took a serious approach, not for commercial reasons but to make a difference.”

In 2005, a committee of vintners began tasting their wines from various glasses in the Riedel collection. They concluded that a cross between the Vinum Burgundy, Vinum Extreme Burgundy and Sommeliers Grand Cru glasses was ideal, and had Riedel create prototypes.

The one chosen is indeed a handsome glass, 9.5 inches tall and with a capacity of 28.25 ounces. Theoretically, the gently flared rim of the tulip-shaped glass focuses aromas and delivers wine to the back palate, giving greater emphasis to fruit and less to acidity and hard edges in young wines. Riedel says the glass gives concentrated wines more balance without over-emphasis: “The wines are more balanced, more harmonious, and with better Pinot Noir expression.”

Sounds awfully gimmicky to me. But, if it would improve New Jersey wines, I'd be willing to contribute to a project to develop one for the home state's sake.

Regards, Bob

[David M. Bueker]

I haven't been able to get my hands on any. I love the shape.

David, Storytellerwine, Michael Alberty's new place in Portland was selling these for a pretty good price. I'm not sure if he has any left.

If you call, tell him I said hello.

I have tasted from this glass and while I think she's pretty, I prefer the regular Vinum Burgundy/Nebbiolo glass. The shape seems to be a cross of the Sommelier Grand Cru Burgundy Glass and the Vinum. While I think that there are stark differences in the perception of a wine through the shape of the glass, I feel that there are too many shapes now being produced.

Where's Mr Parker when you need him? If only he'd allocate points to glasses, everyone would start chasing one type of glass and the other inferior glasses would go out of production. Everyone's a winner.

My wife and I collected a box full of the new OPN glasses over the Memorial Day weekend. Many of the Willamette Valley wineries were "giving them away" with your $10 tasting fee. Some had logos, some didn't. We were told that Riedel required them to put the logos on them in exchange for selling them before the official release, but some didn't.

My take is that they are exactly what they were designed to be. They are a hybrid somewhere between the Vinum (which I think forces the wine too much to the center of the tongue and enhances tannins) and the Grand Cru (which is just too darned expensive and hard to clean for everyday use or entertaining). The lip is flared enough to enhance the fruit and help open up the wine. And they can go in the dishwasher.

By the way, the name of the glass is meant to represent the origin of the design, not necessarily the best glass for OPN. It was a true collaboration of the winemakers of Oregon, the IPNC and Riedel. And if you want to try them, check http://www.wineenthusiast.com for details. They are 2 for $39.95 but they seem to be out of them at present.