Can a glass make a wine taste and smell different?

The answer is YES!! I recently attended a wine tasting and seminar hosted by Maximilian Riedel. It was held at the Federalist Restaurant in Boston. There were several wine directors, wine writers and wine tasters in attendance. Mr. Riedel’s goal was to show us how the shape of a glass can influence and enhance the bouquet and taste of a wine. Although I had heard this many times before, I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. As I tasted the same wine in different shaped glasses, I observed how the glass affected the bouquet and taste of the wine. I am no longer a skeptic, but a believer that the glass really does make a difference when tasting wine.

Professor Claus J. Riedel was the first glass designer to recognize that the bouquet, taste, balance, and finish of wines are affected by the shape of the glass from which they are drunk. This formulated Riedel’s guiding principle which is that “the content determines the shape.”

Riedel prides itself on its research and development. Riedel invests significant time, energy, and money into its glass research. Riedel obtains feedback on glassware from sommeliers and winemakers to determine which style of glassware will fully enhance the aromas and flavors of a given wine varietal. Who better to know how to best enhance their wines than the winemakers themselves. Regional winemakers have even gone so far as to ask Riedel to make a glass that not only enhances the varietal, but also shows off the terroir of their region. An example of this is Riedel is making a Pinot Noir glass specifically designed for Oregon Pinot Noir.

We tried 4 wines over the course of 2 hours. We tried a 2005 Huia Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a William Fevre Chablis (Champs Royaux – Chardonnay) from France, a 2005 Ponzi Pinot Noir from Oregon, and a 2004 Halter Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, CA. Maximilian stressed how the opening of the glass could influence how and where the wine hits your tongue as you drink the wine. The opening also influences the bouquet that you sense. We compared the wines in a non-Riedel glass vs. a Riedel glass. We also tried the Chardonnay in a Riedel Chardonnay glass and then tried it in the Riedel Pinot Noir glass. Now you still might be skeptical, but I can tell you that the wine did smell and taste differently in each of these glasses. The Chardonnay tasted better in the Riedel Chardonnay glass.

The Pinot Noir that we tried had a very big bouquet when served in the Riedel Pinot Noir glass. When poured into the wide Riedel Chardonnay glass the bouquet disappeared. Pour it back into the Pinot glass and there it is again. This was a very expensive experiment for me as I now have to go out and buy some additional glassware for tasting certain types of wines. I’m sure this is exactly what Max would like to hear, but he proved this to me hands down. I was sitting next to Alex DeWinter, Wine Director from Grill 23, and all we could do was look at each other in disbelief. We could not believe how much the taste and bouquet of the wines changed from glass to glass. If you enjoy drinking wine and you want to taste it at its best, invest in some Riedel glasses that are designed for the kind of wine that you love to enjoy.

We also learned a few other tidbits from Max:

– Riedel’s decanters are not grape specific. Riedel believes all wine should be decanted and allowed to breath, but their decanters are not varietal specific even if they used a specific grape name to label it.

– Cheers! When toasting, always clink the glasses sideways. Belly to belly. This is the thickest part of the glass and is less likely to cause damage to the glass.

– Lead Crystal vs. Machine Made Crystal. Lead crystal is hand made and is considered a piece of art. Because it is hand made and blown, it costs a lot more to make. Also, you should sense a bit more of a bouquet from a lead crystal glass than you would from a machine made crystal glass. The reason for this is under a microscope you can see that the hand made crystal is less smooth and therefore causes the wine molecules to break down quicker when swirled. This releases the bouquet in a quicker and more intense fashion.

– All Riedel glassware has the Riedel name on the base & each glass is date stamped under the stem.

– Try aged champagne & “Coca-Cola” in a Pinot Noir glass for the best experience of each you have ever had.

– We learned that serving size is important to enhance your wine experience. The glass should not be over-filled. Red wine should not exceed more than 4 to 5 ounces per glass and white wine should not exceed two to three ounces per glass.

– Finally, Maximilian spoke about his company’s charitable contribution to benefit “Living Beyond Breast Cancer.” The details about the Pink Vinum Rosé Glass designed for this charitable cause is on my recent Wine Sediments post.