We all know wine glasses make a difference to the pleasure we get from wine but should we spend $150 for a top-of-the-line Riedel or buy a more modest glass and spend the difference on some decent wines to put in it?

I asked eight of my fellow Kiwi (resident if not passport carrying Kiwis) MW’s to name their everyday glass of choice with a few words of explanation.

Bob Campbell MW- Let’s start with me. I use the Spiegelau Authentis Tasting glass, mainly because it’s the glass I use in my wine courses and I’ve got 100 of them. When I bought the glasses I also purchased the larger white wine Authentis and even larger red wine Authentis but seldom use them. Though small, the Tasting Glass is perfectly adequate for reds and whites. When I open a decent Pinot Noir I generally dust off My Riedel Sommelier Pinot Noir glasses – they are bigger and seem to offer a better expression of the wine’s aroma. The Spiegelau Authentis stands 186mm high and has a capacity of 320 ml. Here’s a picture:

 For personal everyday drinking I use Eisch Breathable glasses, as recommended by Ronn Wiegand MW (and used by Parker apparently) they are great for opening up wines quickly if they haven’t had enough air time (and I’m usually opening wine on a whim), look classy and are nice and sturdy which is important for a clumsy bastard like myself.”

Eisch Breathable glasses may be viewed at http://www.eisch.de/eng/website/news/breathable_glass/index.php Interesting that Eisch is being sued by Reidel apparantly because they were offered the technology first but rejected it because they didn’t think it worked.

Michael Brajkovich MW – “At home my all-purpose choice is the Zerrutti Ultimo Taster Red, which we bought left over from Pinot Noir 2007. It is dishwasher friendly, and has a reasonably large capacity and a turned-in top good for concentrating aromas. For something finer, and taller, I like the Schott Zwiesel Diva Burgundy, but this one must be hand washed. The finer glass seems to bring out aromas better.

In the winery lab and wineshop, we use the very versatile and robust Schott Zwiesel Vina Wine Goblet. It looks good, not at all bulky or chunky, and it is fine enough to show the colour and clarity nicely, and has a cut edge lip, but is still OK to clean in the dishwasher. “

Zerrutti Ultimo

Schott Diva Burgundy

Schott Vina Goblet

 

 

Simon Nash MW – “I use the Spiegleau Festival Multipurpose line. For me its a great all round glass: nice bowl shape for swirling, not too tall or big so its practical; tough enough for the dishwasher as necessary, and its shaped so it suits red and white wines well. I also like that the stem is not too long and the glass is light enough so its a pleasure to lift, swirl and drink with. All round, for everyday use its ideal. And it saves setting out different shaped glasses, which does confuse some people or reminds others too much of Restaurant style formality.”

Spiegelau Festival Multipurpose

Jane Skilton MW – “I use the Riedel O Series Viognier Chardonnay every day.  It isn’t showy, the glasses go in the dishwasher and if I continue to write after dinner, there is less chance I’ll knock the glass over and ruin the computer keyboard. I know some people think the lack of stem means greasy finger marks on the bowl but I’ve never had that problem.  Clean hands I suppose.  

But if I am opening sparkling wine or Champagne, I always unleash my Riedel Sommelier Vintage Champagne flutes, even though I have to wash the wretched things by hand the following day.”

Riedel O-Viognier

Riedel Sommelier Champagne

 Alastair Maling MW – My everyday glass is also a Spiegelau and reading Simon’s email I am assuming the glass is also the multipurpose version although I am not 100% sure. The bulb shape is ideal for white and red, the size is ideal – not to big or small. Shortish stem, reduces chance of breaking and fits in the dishwasher perfectly. I quite like glasses with a thin rim – the Spiegalau is not thin thin but is thin enough to not feel chunky but also be strong enough for everyday use and minimise the likelihood of breaking.

Paul Tudor MW – As for our everyday glasses, we have an odd assortment from various sets over the years, ironically nothing matching at all, but as we are yet to design and build our dream kitchen, I have nowhere to put decent glassware and access it. My favourite for everyday use is the same as yours (Spiegelau Authentis Tasting glass), versatile enough and large enough, but I do use some ordinary glass glasses that a friend of mine gave me many years ago. Not quite as well shaped as that Spiegelau model, but solidly built and able to withstand the occasional drop on our polished Matai floorboards.We do not have a dishwasher either, so we do not have that worry, yet.

But every opportunity I get, I try to break out the few pairs of Riedel stemware that I have. This makes me feel like a millionaire, even if I am not. I realise that a lot of people poo-poo Riedel’s ranges and that there are some unfair accusations about their philosophy, but my answer is to pour the APPROPRIATE wine into the correct glass and into one less suitable and let people judge for themselves (of course, I don’t tell them how much it costs.) I really like their Shiraz glass in the Sommelier range (although wish it were called something else) and Riedel’s Port Sommelier is a particular favourite of mine, as is the wine within.