Friday, January 1, 2010

The Ultimate Glass Test

I forgot something in the last post....

First...Year 2010; Welcome all – let’s have some fun.

If there is one thing I am freakish about, it’s wine glasses. I have a collection which is fairly sick and I know that I probably haven’t bought my last wine glass yet, even if I have no more space and one extra glass, could cost me my marriage.

If you have found your way to my blog, I speculate you are already at a level where it’s needless to debate, that a good glass matters, otherwise - I suggest you see your doctor and come back again ;-).

Anyway – even if this blog is still about the simplicity of a wine experience, I have decided during 2010 to make an effort to do study on wine glasses and hopefully present some sort of result at the end of the year.

That’s all for now.

24 comments:

E said...

Ser fram emot testet! Var kan man köpa Spiegelau Adina serien?
/Erik

Anonymous said...

Hej Thomas
Glæder mig til at følge med i dit glastema. Glas er vigtig for nydelsen af vin, især for øjet, og der har dine flotte billeder indført mig i Zalto-glassenes skønhed. Har overvejet flere gange at købe champ.glassene, men jeg har ikke kunnet slippe de små 200 kr. stykket.
Er også imponeret over så mange forskellige glas du kan præsentere, så det er forståeligt, hvis din kone overvejer din åndelige habitus ved det næste glaskøb.
Vh Per K

SK2 said...

Hi Thomas,

Can you make a list of the wine glasses that you use for each type of wine?

SK

Thomas said...

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delayed response – January is always very busy for me at work.

Erik – In Denmark you can only buy the Adina line @ Restaurant Era Ora http://www.era-ora.dk/ . They have named the glass I use for Champagne “Ribolla” there.

I am confident you can find a reliable retailer on the internet, if this series are not available in Sweden.

Per – (hope it’s alright in English). True, the price for one glass can seem ridiculous high, when you basically want to spend you money on the essential thing: Wine. However I have always enjoyed wine from a “sense perspective” and the right glass matters a lot to me. I guess 70% of the glasses I have, are from birthday or Christmas gifts and it has taken me maybe 12 years to get that far. So just start now ;-).

SK – a list, yes sure…I can list the glasses I have. Maybe not all of the will be used in this test.

Champagne glasses:

Juhlin
Zalto
Riedel Sommeliers “Champagne Vintage”
Spiegelau Adina “Red wine“ (I use this for vinous and young Champagnes)

Red wine (Bordeaux type):

Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru
Zalto Bordeaux
Riedel Extreme Cabernet/Merlot
Spiegelau Adina “Bordeaux”

Burgundy type glasses:

Riedel Sommeliers “Burgundy Grand Cru”
Zalto Burgundy
Spiegelau Willsberger “Burgundy”
Spiegelau Adina “Burgundy“
Spiegelau (http://www.era-ora.dk/ calls them “Amarone”

Riesling:

Riedel Sommeliers “Riesling Grand Cru” (Also a great Sangiovese glass”
Zalto “Riesling”
Zalto “Universal”

Other glasses:

Riedel Sommeliers “Hermitage”
Riedel Sommeliers “Tinto Riserva“
Antinori “Sangiovese“
Zalto Dessert
Bottega del Vino “Super Venetian“

Best,
Thomas

Voodoo Child said...

We have almost the same glasses, though I have "Les Impitoyables " for Champagne too, I have never liked the Burgundy "Les Sommeliers" although I still thinks it works(never does, the wine just flow away) I really like Zalto(in case you didn´t know) Burgundy(my best glass, I think)..I have a Brunello (from Era Ora too, hardly ever use it!!)
Have fun!

Thomas said...

Hi Ebbe,

I have actually never tried the Les Impitoyables glass. I have held it my hand and must say that I found it pretty ugly ;-). Also- it’s not exactly a light glass, which I don’t like. Anyway, I would like to try it some day

I seldom use the big gold fish bowl aka the “Riedel Sommeliers Burgundy Grand Cru”, maybe because I don’t drink that much Burgundy at home. However on the occasion, where I have had some of the big guns from Burgundy in this glass, it has been overwhelming great. But it requires a decent fill, I think. 10 guys at a wine tasting with this glass – forget it, the intense fruit aromas will have evaporated before it reaches your nose. For Barolo it also works, however it has to be old School Barolo, I think.
But let’s see – I will of course tested all kinds of wine in this glass and also Zalto Burgundy, which I have become very fond of.

Have a nice weekend, my friend.

Best,
/Thomas

Voodoo Child said...

Hi Thomas,
I had the L´Apôtre 2003 last night, from the white wine glass Zalto, a real treat, have you tried this combo?

Thomas said...

Hi Ebbe,

Sounds interesting. No I haven't tried that combo yet.

Have half a bottle left of a 1998 Vilmart CdC in the fridge - will give it a try with Zalto White wine tonight.

Best,
Thomas

Thomas said...

Hi Ebbe,

So I have tried the glass.

The Zalto White wine glass is seriously good looking. Stunning design and incredible light.

First of all, the bottle I had of the 1998 Vilmart CdC was strange - mostly certainly an off bottle, which was in need of some life.

The glass indeed had something to offer. On the nose it had some interesting angels, maybe not as good as my favorite glass from Adina, but it felt really great on the palate as Zalto are so light and the rim is so thin.

I will test it again with some other and not flawed Champagnes.

/Thomas

Voodoo Child said...

Yes do that it is an eyeopener..to me at least!

Anonymous said...

Thomas,
I truly enjoy your honest commentary, and wish I could have been at the Monti tasting. I am a little bit of a glass nut with the following crazy glasses but tend to utilize the Zalto Burgundy at home for all red and white and prefer the zalto white for champagne.
Zalto
Bord
Burgundy
Uni
Champagne
White
desert
Peugeot
# 1, 2 and 3 (Red Young, Old and White) I dont have the champagne but just get a few to experience.

I have Ridel Sommelier Burgundy, Bord and Champagne collecting dust which they are useless compared to Zalto.. Zalto Rules....

Keep up the hard work, stop in if you ever make it to Lighthouse Point FL...

Thomas said...

Great to see that there are other glass nerds out there – kind of reassuring ;-).

I must admit that I use Zalto whenever I can – on most occasions they are my number one choice.

But let’s see how the test works out – impossible however, for me to say anything at this stage.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
i´m curious, any results yet?

ME

Thomas said...

Hi ”ME”,

Yes and no.

I have what I need to write my conclusion.

What I don’t have is time.

I need to do an intro to the wine glass and an individual presentation of the glasses – including some images. Then some sort of conclusion.

I hope you and others will have patience – I am really looking forward to write it – just need to find the time.

Best from,
Thomas

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to read it!

/ME

Barslund said...

Orrefors Difference Crisp slår:

Adina rødvin (Rebolla)
Juhlin
Zalto champagne og hvidvin.
Peugoet Les...
og mf.

Mvh
Martin ;-)

Thomas said...

Hej Martin,

STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!

Ikke flere nye glas - jeg kan ikke mere.

Damn....det må jeg prøve ;-).

Det ser cool ud - hvad med vægten?

/T

Barslund said...

Hej Thomas

Det er for mig det ultimative champagneglas og det er meget at sige selv for mig.
Jeg bruger også rigtig meget tid på glas til alle de typer vin jeg drikker.
Vægten er fin, noget det samme som Adina rød.
Glasset kan købes i Illumsbolighus til 280 mener jeg.
Men husk at tjekke glasset, da der er stor variation.
Glasset har også vist sig at være godt til Riesling.

Mvh
Martin

Thomas said...

Hej Martin,

Jeg har glasset nu. Flot glas.

Tester det måske allerede på fredag, hvis jeg ikke har for mange tømmermænd efter en US-smagning dagen før.

;-).

/T

Barslund said...

Hey Thomas

Har du fået prøvet Orrefors endnu?

Mvh
Martin

Barslund said...

Hej Thomas

Ved du hvor man kan skaffe/købe James Darsonville glasset?

Mvh
Martin

Henrik said...

I am very convinced with the "Riedel Vinum Extreme" series for reds and whites ....

however for sweet wine unfortunately there is no way around "Riedel Sommelier Sauternes" ... a test comparing it to "Vinum Extreme IceWine", "Vinum Dessert Wine" (both Riedel) and some other glasses was just devastating ... whereas the Trockenbeerenauslese and other sweets (all great wines, btw) were sugary and sirupy in all other glasses, in the Sommelier it came on the tongue like from an atomizer, giving the full palette of flavors ...

Dan F said...

Thomas,

I recently purchased 2 Zalto Burgundy glasses on your recommendation. I'm excited to use them this weekend. I see you've been drinking both red and white burgundies from the zalto glass. Would you say it's better suited for one or the other?

Also, I've been trying very hard to locate a seller (in the US) for the Spiegelau Adina prestige red wine glasses. No such luck. Any suggestions? These glasses look fantastic for certain Champagnes, as you've mentioned.

-Dan F

Thomas said...

Hi Dan,

Yes - the Zalto Burgundy glass are useful for both red and white.

For white – use if for Chardonnay and wines, which have a very floral character. For Red – the same concept really; wines which has a strong footprint in floral perfumes. Pinot Noir & Nebbiolo. Syrah is by some also believed to belong in this glass, as Bordeaux shaped glasses makes Syrah perform “square”. I am not sure I agree all the time.

The Adina glass is really nice – I wish you could find it. I sometimes use Zalto White wine, but not all wines are great in it. Bérèche use this glass and it’s very beautiful and extremely light.

Best from,
Thomas